Light God Edited for teens version
by SGsVamp
Summary: Daniel returns to the SGC once again human and with his memory erased. Who is the beautiful Ancient who followed him back? What can she tell him about his time with the Ascended? And what secrets is she keeping from him? M version also available. Dan/OC
1. Prologue

**Warning** this Story contains spoilers for - Children of the Gods, The Game Keeper, Need, Holiday, Upgrades, Forever in a Day, The First Ones, The Curse, Ascension, Right of Passage, Meridian, Abyss, Full Circle and Nearly all of Season Seven onwards.

I do not own anything from the Stargate World, however original Characters are mine.

Story starts off during Fallen (7X01) Video Trailer available ~ link on profile

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

The comforting warmth that surrounded him, protected him and gave him life, suddenly switched to harsh ear splitting screams and hot unfriendly air.

Blinking, the baby open his crystalline blue eyes for the first time and looked into the eyes of a woman. Her brow was moist with sweat and furrowed. Pain burned behind her hooded eyes and tear stains tracked down her pale cheeks.

Yet she gazed at him with a look of such intense overpowering love that she seemed to glow, even in the dim light. She strained to hold her arms out to him, but even as she did he was pulled away from her.

No!

Why would he be taken from her?

He wanted to go back! He wanted to feel what it was like to be held in the arms of that woman who clearly already loved him so entirely. He was afraid. He wanted and needed her warmth and comfort.

The baby let out a fearful cry.

He was laid on a cold, hard surface. His cries ignored. There he felt his first experience of pain as thousands of years of monstrous memories and knowledge were forced into his newborn mind.

Now he understood.

He understood everything.

He knew that the woman was his mother and he knew why he had been taken from her. He saw what was planned for his future and tears ran down the sides of his face as he was overcome with terror. In the memories, he saw his father for the first time, through the eyes of another. '_If you know who I am then you know I can wipe you from existence.' _his father had said. His father wished to save the lives that the other wanted to destroy. His father was brave and just, but the feelings he got through the memory were ones of bright, violence and hatred. He wished to destroy everyone and everything.

That wasn't right!

These thoughts were not his own.

He focused on the one image that he knew to be true: His mother.

He screamed so loud that his cries were silent as he was injected. He knew that there would now be millions of Nanites purging his tiny body, manipulating his cells. Shortening his free life and stealing his youth. He knew that when they had completed their job, his life was as good as over. He tried to beg, plead for his life. But his throat and voice box were still too young to form the words that he needed.

Such a short time after his birth and already time was running out on him.

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><p>AN ~ If you like, please review it's only people interest in this story that keeps it going :)<p> 


	2. Chapter 1 Weirdness

Chapter one - Weirdness

It had been a very weird day for Daniel Jackson. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't expected it to be normal, not really. Normal people don't get found alone, naked and with no memory. But this was something else altogether.

His curious eyes scanned around the unfamiliar base room. He had hoped that he would have spotted someone, or something by now that would have sparked a memory - this was meant to be his home, his friends, he should know them. - But there was nothing. It may as well been someone else's life he'd stumbled into. Not that that was such a surprise to him. He had no memory of his human life at all, or his life as an Ancient either for that matter. So he expected to feel out of place.

"Not exactly home, but we unpacked some of your stuff." Jim (or was his name Jack?) was saying in a hopeful tone.

So not his home then, but they were his belongings. From the sheer amount there it was clear they had made an effort to make him feel more at ease, but with no memories of this place or any of these things discomfort was guaranteed. "You kept all this even though you thought I was dead?" he question. He didn't want to seem ungrateful, but he did find it strange that they had kept so much. They must have thought a lot of him. Or at least who he used to be. Not for the first time he worried that he wouldn't be able to live up to people's expectations of him.

"To be honest, we tossed out a ton of junk." The older man replied. Daniel frowned, stunned that there had been more than all this to begin with. Clearly, whoever he was, was quite a hoarder.

"…A lot of which seemed to be very valuable," he added, miss-reading the look on Daniel's face as one of annoyance. He couldn't miss what he didn't remember having in the first place.

Daniel paced around the room, hoping that something, anything would catch his eye. He spotted a framed photograph on the bedside table and picked it up for a closer look. It pictured a woman, with a mass of full, waving black hair. She was striking. Dark eyes, framed by thick lashes and the shapely arch of her slender eyebrows, complemented by the warm caramel of her skin. The image stirred a longing feeling from deep inside him, but still no memories floated to the surface.

"I kept a few of your personal things alive there." Jim told him, pointing to the photograph that Daniel was now studying, closely.

"I know her." He meant it as a question, and was surprised when it came out as a statement.

"Really?" Jim was surprised.

"I mean, I must, right?" Daniel half smiled, trying to shake off the emotions that had shockingly gripped him. He couldn't make sense of these overbearing feelings. He had no idea who this beautiful stranger was, but he knew that she meant a lot to him.

"Yeah…" The disappointment was clear in the Colonel's voice.

"Who is she? What's her name?" he asked, without looking up, still analysing the framed photograph.

"You tell me." Jim said, with a very slight hint of persuasion in his tone. He left, closing the door behind him, leaving Daniel to puzzle over the changes that had happened to his life in the last few short hours.

This morning he was Arrom, living in his snug little tent on Vis Uban and his most critical duty was a trip to the local waterhole. But with the arrival of these people (what was it they called themselves Ess Jee wun?), his simple life had been turned on its head. Now it appeared that he was in fact a member of an elite team. Who travelled to other planets through the Chappa'ai (No, the Stargate, he mentally corrected himself) and took on enemies of this planet, a world he had no recollection for. The pressure of this sort of life must be enormous. It seemed daunting, especially after living such a trouble-free life. A life that he was reluctant to give up. It was only his curiosity about who he had been and how he had ended up on that planet that persuaded him to leave with these people.

He had been bewildered by the differences of this planet. Its high dull ceilings and drab clothes were a far cry from the canvas and bright blue robes that he was used to. It wasn't that he didn't realise that other planets would be different from Vis Uban, but he had found their little tents and simple ways very familiar to him. He had expected that his lifestyle to be in some ways similar, even if his responsibilities were far greater.

He had been told that last year he had died and ascended to a higher level of existence. Spending the year as living energy known as an Ancient. No one could tell him how or why he had ended up on Vis Uban, once again human and with no memory.

Things truly couldn't be weirder.

Or so he thought.

…

That night Daniel tossed and turned, thrashing about in the foreign, spongy bed. Vivid dreams forced out from his subconscious, kept him from truly sleeping peacefully. He woke with a start. It was dark, but he was able to make out vague outlines of the objects around the room.

He turned onto his side and reached for his glasses on the bedside table, but as he reached for them he paused, his hand hovering between his glasses and the photograph that he had placed there before settling into the bed to sleep. He picked up the photo again, bringing it close to his face so he could make out her image even in the dim light.

One word sounded in his head: Sha'ra. He smiled broadly. He had remembered. It may only be her name, such a small detail, but it gave him hope. He knew now that the memories were still in there. He was elated and wished to share his discovery with someone. He wondered if anyone would be awake here at this late hour.

'Daniel…' A voice breezed through the darkness as soft as a caress. Shocking him out of his musings. It was nothing more than a whisper, a tickle in the still air and he spun around looking for the source of the bodiless voice.

Just as he started to think that he had imagined it, he heard it again.

'Daniel…'

He froze. The room was shrouded in shadow and he still was without his glasses, but he would have been able to see if anyone else was in the room with him. He was utterly alone.

His very weird day was turning into a very weird night.

"Uh, hello? Who's there?" he called quietly, feeling more than a little awkward talking to himself. He could see there was no one here. He was alone in his room, yet he strained his ears listening, waiting for a reply.

His heart skipped a beat, in shock when he heard the voice once again. 'It is me, Leesia.' Her voice echoed inside his head and he quickly realised that had anyone else been in the room with him they wouldn't have heard anything. But he heard her as clearly as if she was alongside him.

"Leesia?" he questioned, rolling the name across his tongue, testing its familiarity. She spoke to him as if to an old friend, yet the name and the voice was mystifying to him.

'You do not have any recollection of me?'

He could hear sad disappointment in her voice and had to reassure her. "Please don't feel bad, I don't remember anyone." He couldn't help but smile. He had no idea who or what she was, but for a reason he didn't understand, he found her presence soothing. Very soothing, in fact. It was just what he needed after his bizarre day.

He shifted off the bed, subconsciously pulled, in vain, for the source of her appealingly, soft voice. He hesitantly paced the small room as she spoke to him once again, his eyes wiping every darkened spot in his futile search.

'I ascertained that Oma removed your memories. I wished it to be a falsehood. Clearly I am to be disappointed. I have been waiting for you to come home. Since I learnt what happened on Abydos'

He had no idea what she was talking about. Oma? Abydos? These words were new to him. but there was only one explanation he could think of. "You're an Ancient." he exclaimed suddenly halting his pacing as the thought occurred to him. His eyes fixed onto the empty space in the room, waiting a response.

'Yes.' She spoke the word like a sigh of relief.

"And you knew me when I ascended?" he questioned, getting on a role. There was SO many questions burning in his mind, but it was ones about that time in his life that no one could answer.

"In a manner of speaking." Her voice sounded from behind him, echoing in the silence of the still room, making him jump. He spun around towards the source of the voice and saw her. Sitting crossed legged in the centre of his bed, a picture of peace. Every question he had wanted to ask her left his head the instant he laid eyes on her. His thick eyebrows jumped and climbed up his forehead in shock. He swallowed hard.

She was beautiful. Smooth, long, dark hair that shined with richness and framed her heart shaped face. Her eyes sparkled with an innocence and kindliness. But it wasn't her beauty that shocked him. What shocked him were the emotions that flowed through him at that moment. A warmth and longing so powerful they took his breath away, consumed him. His heart skipped a beat and his jaw dropped open.

"Do you have some recollection of me now?" she enquired with a smile that danced all the way up to her eyes, making them light up. Clearly pleased with the reaction she had gotten.

He stared mutely at her and thought he had never (or had he?) seen brown eyes seem so warm; they twinkled even in the dim light. Moving gingerly to sit facing her on the bed, he folded his legs to mirror hers. His gaze locked onto her, studying her features with wonder, as if she was a priceless relic. His jaw clenched and he tried to summon up enough saliva to moisten his dried throat and find his voice before answering. "Um…No…" He answered, but even he could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

Another small smile graced her lips, warm and cheekily knowing. She gazed back into his eyes intently, her warm brown locking onto his cool blue. Polar opposites, magnetically drawn together. Without dropping her stare, she reached to him and stroked her fingers lightly down his cheek. The sensation of her touch was bizarre but not unpleasant. A light tingling of tiny sparks, like static electricity, tickled the surface of his face where her hand had touched. He felt the warmth of his blood rushing to respond to her contact. Yet he couldn't feel the physical touch of her skin on his.

She leaned towards him. Her gaze into his eyes deepening, as if she was searching through the blue for some long lost treasure. He found the intense pressure of her stare almost intimidating, but remained still. "I can see that," she whispered to him, after a short while.

"See what?" Daniel questioned.

"That you will remember me. Given enough time." She sounded so confident that he couldn't help but be flattered by her belief in him.

"Well that's a comfort. I think I would like to know you." he said, slightly stunned by the honesty of his words. He looked away embarrassed, focusing his attention on the comforter between their folded legs. "Do you know what happened to me?" he asked hopefully, bringing his attention back up to fall upon her face.

She nodded sadly. "You broke our most sacred law. You interfered with the lives of lesser being; humans."

"By fighting Anubis?" Daniel asked with a slow nod, remembering something Jim had said back in his tent on Vis Uban. "Why would I do that?"

"To save their lives. You are very close to the Abydonians."

"And this was my punishment!" he frowned deeply and gestured down at himself. "What sort of society would penalize someone for saving lives?"

"I do not claim it to be right, I even attempted to assist you. But it is the law."

"Attempted?" he questioned.

"You refused to permit me to."

Daniel nodded in understanding, that much made sense to him. He must have been aware at how strictly the Ancients punished lawbreaker. He wouldn't want anyone else to take the fall along with him. Especially not this beautiful creature, who seemed so innocent. She sparked from within him a very powerful need to protect her. "Aren't you breaking that same law yourself by just being here and telling me this?"

"It is a risk," she said stubbornly.

"Why are you taking it?" he quickly asked. He didn't want her to be in any jeopardy simply to provide him with answers, no matter how curious he was. Or how infuriating he found not being able to remember them for himself.

"The most optimum way for you to regain your memories, your human ones at the very least, is to do your typical routine."

"Okay…" He sighed, accepting the subject change reluctantly and letting his original question drop. "What is it I used to do?"

His conformity pleased her and she presented him with another of her smiles in gratitude. "Your friends will help you. Trust them. You used to. They are in a meeting now, you should join them. They will require your assistance."

With no memories to speak of, Daniel didn't see what use he could possibly be to them, but once again he found himself believing her words, unquestionably. He found himself rising from the bed to leave. "What about you?" He asked, pausing at the door and turning back to face her. But he found the bed empty. She had vanished. His face dropped visibly with obvious disappointment.

'…I'll be with you…' Her voice, once again, reverberated in his head and he felt his lips tugging themselves up at the sound.

Taking her advice, he went to the meeting. She had been right, he was needed. The one known as Jonas had misinterpreted an ancient tablet. Daniel didn't know how he was able to read Ancient so easily, but somehow he was. He figured it must be something left over in his subconscious from when he had been ascended, because Jonas had been using Daniel's own notes to translate the tablet and the translation had been way off. Proving to him that it was clearly a new ability of his.

Samantha Carter paused as she was leaving the meeting, noticing they were one archaeologist short of completing the set and turned back to the table. Daniel had remained where he was seating while the others had filed out, focused entirely on the mission log in front of him, that familiar frown pinching his brow. She grinned at the sight, it was nice to know some things just don't change. "Everything all right?" she asked, leaning over and resting her forearms on the back of one of the chairs opposite him.

He glanced up politely at her. She seemed so casual with him, completely at ease. He was reminded of Leesia's words of advice from earlier. 'Trust them. You used to.' Whether it was the friendly knowing look that Sam was giving him or those whispered words that were still so fresh in his mind, he didn't know, but somehow he just knew that it was the truth. He had trusted them - deeply, or so he felt - Why should now be any different? He gave her a warm smile and turned his attention back to the file on the table in front of him. "These logs, they're done each time?"

"We're each expected to hand in a report after every mission." she agreed nodding.

"So I would have done them too?"

"You think they might help you remember?" She guessed, seeing where his thoughts might be taking him.

"That's what I was hoping, yeah." Daniel replied softly. "Either way I guess I should get up to speed. I don't fancy upsetting Jim again."

Sam covered her giggle with her hand, but Daniel spotted and frowned up at her in confusion. "It's Jack." she corrected him, in a quiet voice.

Daniel laughed through his nose, with a small smile. "Well that would certainly explain why he seemed to take it personally."

"Actually, that pretty much Jack at his pleasantest."

"Really?"

"And although he'd never admit it, but he's actually very fond of you…We all are."

He blushed, dropping his head back to the reports so she couldn't see the colour that rose in his cheeks.

"We can have all the reports sent to your quarters. Or you also have an office here. Jonas has been using it while you were-"

"Dead?" He interrupted.

"-Ascended." Samantha continued. "We didn't know if you would be back. But it is your office, so if you'd prefer to have them sent-"

"No, no." Daniel interrupted her once again. "Quarters are fine."

She smiled broadly. "It's really good to have you back Daniel."

As promised Sam had all their mission logs sent to Daniel's quarters, as well as all of his diaries that had been also been saved. When he saw how many there were he was dumbstruck. He had no idea there would be so many.

He sighed and picked up the first one, settling himself down comfortably on the large bed. He read for hours (Only pausing when he was interrupted by Jonas, musing over an idea regarding making a fake tablet with him). Diligently working through the pile with equal amounts of shock, disbelief and wonder.

During his readings, some of the words started triggering random snippets of memories. He remembered manipulating fire with his mind on Kheb, and something about shoes, but he had no idea why they had gone to the planet in the first place. He remembered weeping over the android Reese in the gate room after Jack had shot her, but he couldn't recall how she had gotten to the SGC, or why Jack would have opened fire on her. He remembered kel'no'reeeming with Teal'c and brainstorming with Sam and meeting Jonas and arguing with Jack (a lot), but the names of his parents and where he had grown up or done his schooling still remained blank. The last year of his life - his time with the Ancients - still remained a dense fog.

The strongest of all these scattered visions were that of his wife; Sha're. He remembered moments they had spent together during the year after their marriage - hiding from sandstorms, them sitting with huge groups of other Abydonians while they gathered to eat and rare stolen private moments. He remembered seeing her eyes flash with a yellow glow after she was taken over by the Goa'uld Amaunet and he remembered the lump in his throat as he held back the tears at her funeral on Abydos. Yet how they had met, their wedding and how she had died still remained blank for him. The latter he was not looking forward to remembering.

"Helping?"

His heart skipped an excited beat and slowly he lowered the file folder from in front of his face, revealing Leesia sitting on the foot of his bed. She smiled broadly at him and he returned it readily. Very pleased to see her. He had started to grow a little concerned that he might have dreamed the whole encounter, despite the nagging feeling in his gut that told him she was in fact genuine. "I thought I should get a heads up on what I'm actually expected to do around here and the more I know the better, but yes it is and some of it is actually coming back." he told her running his fingers through his short brown hair.

"Anything regarding me?" she inquired, hopefully.

"No. Nothing from when I was ascended…Sorry," he added, catching the hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"It is no fault of yours." she said, quickly dispelling any blame from him. "I am pleased that your memories are coming back to you."

"Only pieces of them." Daniel clarified.

"They will come back." Leesia told him, matter-of-factly.

"Tell me something about myself." he asked her, he was enjoying reading all the mission logs. But hearing the silk of her voice was a pleasure to him he didn't wish to miss. Besides there were some question only she would be able to answer. He didn't want her breaking this non-interference law she had spoken of, especially seeing how harshly they had punished him, but his curiosity about his time as a higher being was hard to ignore.

She didn't miss a beat before she answered him. "You are kind, and the most selfless man I have ever met. Always putting others first. Yet you do this with such amazing modesty… you do not even know how good a person you really are."

Daniel instantly blushed deeply. Sam had told him something similar, but that hadn't made Leesia's answer any more expected. They really did think highly of him and he hoped he wouldn't disappoint them, either of them, but he was feeling like it was going to be hard to live up to their expectations. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat softly. "I meant tell me something about what I've done. I have a vague idea of who I am, but most of the past is a blank. How did we meet, for example." he asked her keenly.

She smiled sincerely and leant forward, her petite fingers tracing over his eyebrow to his temple. "You should remember for yourself," she told him, her eyes gazing openly into his. "I do not believe that it would be prudent for you to know your mind from someone else's perspective. Have patience and faith, you will remember."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked her. That was the third time she had said something like that to him and she seemed so confident.

"Because I know you," she grinned at him as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "And I know how determined you can be."

She pulled away (with Daniel sitting up quickly a millisecond later with a shy blush, realising that he had been following her touch as her hand left his face), and gestured to the many mission logs piled over the large bed. "The palest ink is better than the sharpest memory. These are composed by your hand. They surpass anything I could express. You should learn from you. Only you yourself can truly know your own mind."

He smiled at her logic. "Well, I can't argue that."

The following week passed far too quickly for Daniel. He spent his days with Jonas in his office - Jonas' office, whichever, it didn't matter to him - translating ancient writing to create their very own fake tablet, as lure for Anubis. Every evening he returned to his quarters and absorbed himself in the mission reports, remember lots more about his life with SG-1 as he read. And every evening once he was alone, Leesia appeared to him without fail. They sometimes spoke of what he had remembered that day, or how he and Jonas were getting along with their translation, but most of the time she was silent. Just supporting him and encouraging him with her presence.

By the time the week was up all the pieces of the puzzle where in place; The nomadic people he had lived with for month on Vis Uban had been relocated, the decoy tablet had been set and Anubis had taken the bait, a runway and base camp had been set up on the planet, the 302 had been reassembled, after having to take it apart to fit it through the Stargate and most surprising, the system lord Yu was all set to back them up.

Jack was right. This was definitely their wackiest plan to date.

Keeping her presence hidden from their sight, Leesia followed SG-1 through the stargate to Vis Uban. She couldn't interfere, but she could at least know what was happening. The worry she would feel from not knowing whether or not he was safe would be too much for her to bear. He was human now and being human meant he was vulnerable.

She stayed with him as, along with Jonas, he ringed up to Anubis's ship. Once onboard Daniel provided cover fire while Jonas worked the door controls to gain them access to the control room. Daniel went to the console, it was in Ancient, he could do this, it would just take time. Which they didn't have, she realised, as she hear Sam called over the radio "We need that Intel." and Anubis's Jaffa started on the door.

Leesia's whole being was strumming with panic while she watched the tense scene playing out before her eyes. This was getting risky. More risky than she could stand by and watch... and yet she couldn't interfere. She knew she couldn't interfere, the costs was too great.

"That's it ." Daniel finally told Jonas. "Jack, Sam, we got it. Transmitting data," he added talking into his radio. Though it did little to ease Leesia's worry as the Jaffa continued their assault on the door.

The pair clocked a ventilation hatch and went for their escape as the Jaffa finally broke through the disabled door, drawing their weapons.

"LOOK OUT!" Leesia shouted, pointlessly just as Jonas was hit by a Zatn'tel shot, as he was boosting Daniel up to his escape. Daniel stumbled as he attempting to pull himself into the ventilation system. It was only a slight falter but it gave the Jaffa the chance they needed and he too was shot. He fell, unconscious next to his team mate. Powerless to meddle, and loathing herself because of it, Leesia watched as the Jaffa hosted them up and dragged them off to a holding cell. There they were dumped, unnecessarily harshly, face down on the hard floor. Anubis's Jaffa activated the energy barrier over the doorway as they left to inform their master.

She crouched, unseen, between the two fallen man, feeling so utterly useless. Maybe there was something she could do, she thought. Anubis wasn't a lesser being. There was no law against interaction with him. But to what end? She doubted she would be able to convince him to free them and if she fought him the others would stop her, just as Oma had stopped Daniel before. But maybe, just maybe the threat of it would be enough. She didn't hold much hope, but she had to try.

She found Anubis in the peltak as his Jaffa were informing him of the capture of the ha'tak's intruders. From the way they were speaking it didn't appear they were aware that it was two members of SG-1 that they had caught. That was good, she thought. Had Anubis known precisely whom he had things could get more serious for the pair of them. Especially Daniel, she presumed, as the half Ascended being would most likely hold a grudge against him after their confrontation over Abydos.

One of the Jaffa interrupted the others. "We've been hit. The core is overloading. We must power down the weapon."

Just then an explosion rocked the ship and Anubis roared in rage. Jack's shot had hit his mark, the weapon was destroyed. Leesia smiled to herself, please with their victory over their enemy.

Her smugness was short lived however, when Anubis order that one of the hostages be prepared for him. His Jaffa bowed and silently left. Leesia stared in horror as the black hooded villain spun the spiked memory probe thoughtfully in his fingers.

She paused, rethinking. She didn't have to act rashly. The memory probe would take some time. That could give them chance they needed to be rescued or escape somehow. But what could Anubis learn? She didn't know much about Jonas. And Daniel… well, Daniel didn't have all his memories at the moment so he wouldn't learn much there. This relaxed her and she found it almost amusing that using the memory probe on Daniel would be an almost total waste of Anubis' time. Then she was filled with cold dread as she realised that Anubis would have no reason for keeping Daniel alive.

Now she had no choice. She had to interfere. If given the choice between saving his life and ... the alternative, she knew immediately what she would do, each and every time! She would not lose him. Not again.

She reached the cell just ahead of the Jaffa. Both men were still out cold from their shots from the zats. She called, then screamed at Daniel to wake up, but it made no difference. Despite her efforts he remained unresponsive as the guards entered and dragged Jonas out.

…

"Daniel…" He heard her voice again rebound through his head as he regained consciousness on the smooth black floor of his cell. With the after effects of the Zat blast he had received, still clouding his mind, he hardly knew the difference between her voice and his own thoughts at this moment.

"Leesia, you're here?" He knew she was, he had sensed her earlier in the control room, though he hadn't said anything because he was trying to concentrate and her presence was a little distracting.

In a bright flash, she appeared by his side. "I'm here."

A lopsided grin weakly spread on his face. "It's good of you to come, but I'm a little tied up at the moment." he joked, glancing around the confinements of his prison. "Jonas?"

"Anubis has him." She leaned over and spoke softly. "I am going to get you out of here. I have seen what they have planned for you and that can not be allowed to happen."

"No! You can't do that," he protested immediately.

"Listen to me, please Daniel," she interrupted his arguing. "There is very little time. The ship is in hyperspace at the present. Making departure impossible. It will be necessary for you to remain hidden until such time as you are able to. However I must get you out of this cell before Anubis discerns who he has here."

"You mustn't! If you interfere-"

He was cut off from his objection by the force field over the door, vanishing. "It appears that the ship is experiencing some technical complications." Leesia smiled down at him.

"Lucky for me." Daniel jumped to his feet. He stepped towards her and raised his hand to her cheek. As before he felt a warmth and a light tingle on his fingers, but no physical connection. "Thank you…but you really shouldn't have."

She covered her hand over his and now he felt the sensations on both side. "Go. And please stay safe." she said.

"Come with me." he insisted.

She smiled again. A glow and she was gone.

'I am always with you.' she called to him as she felt the pull as she was summoned by the others. She prayed they would listen to reason. She prayed she would be able to explain her actions. But the strongest of all her prayers was to see him again.

Daniel grabbed his pack and cautiously made his way out into the corridor. He recognized the hollowness in the atmosphere, telling him that she was no longer there. He felt it weight on his mind and choke a lump in his throat, but he forced himself to push those troubling thoughts from his head. He couldn't acknowledge that right now, he had to concentrate. Lives were at risk, his own for one, but also Jonas'. Not to mention the other members of the team that would no doubt attempt a rescue should they fail to escape the ship. The SGC didn't leave people behind.

He checked his watch. He had barely three hours until the radioactive isotope that he and Jonas had been injected with would wear off. After that he would be detected by the ship's sensors. That was his time limit. He set off to find Jonas.

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><p>AN ~ Please review. All comments welcome :)<p> 


	3. Chapter 2 First Cut Is The Deepest

**Chapter Two - First Cut is the Deepest**

The five members that currently made up SG-1 made their way down the ramp. Jonas was holding his arm limply, wounded by the staff blast. He smiled proudly, after all it was his first staff wound. He met Daniel's eye and the pair exchanged a look of mutual gratitude and respect.

As Jonas was steered towards the infirmary Daniel's gaze drifted back up to the Stargate. The light from the event horizon danced playfully, wondrously over his troubled face. Closing his eyes against the brightness he was reminded of the lingering flash that he had experienced when Leesia had made herself visible to him. He threw a silent pray into it. 'Please, please let her be okay. Let me find her in my room tonight, as usual, safe and unpunished.' The light vanished as the Stargate disengaged, leaving the gateroom duller. Empty of the magically entrancing beauty the wormhole created. He choked back a lump in his throat as he turned away and followed his friends.

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><p>The silence was deafening. It pressed into her, crushing.<p>

"Do not ignore me!" Leesia screamed at them.

How long had she waited in the dark like this? With only her fear of what was to come for company. Waiting their judgement. Days? Weeks? Time, it seemed, lost all meaning in the bleakness of their limbo.

An eternity later she heard them.

"You had broken the most sacred of our laws." the voice echoed threw the darkness, brighten the air round her. She recognized the voice and her fear doubled. The highest regulator would not go easy on her. This wasn't good. More voices joined the first. As they did she could somewhat make out her surroundings. Dull and gray, as colourless as her heart felt now.

"The restriction are placed upon us all for righteous reasons. We can not allow corruption to infiltrate our race."

"I know but-" Leesia began, but the other continued as if she hadn't spoken. She had worried that she wouldn't be allowed to defend her actions. It seemed that unfortunately she was right.

"More abominations can not be allowed."

"I agree."

"The circumstances need to be taken into consideration." a soft feminine voice pleaded. Leesia gasped at the familiarity of that voice.

Oma was here.

She smiled, touched by gratitude.

But just as Leesia had been Oma's words were ignored. As far as the others could see neither existed because were true ancients. Not anymore.

"Had we not removed the criminal from the environment the rule would have been repeatedly broken."

"If you are inquiring as to whether I would have continued to help the man I love to save his life. Then the answer will always be yes." Leesia snapped. "As would each of you if you had found yourselves in my situation."

Her cries fell on deaf ears. The others had never agree with Daniel's interpretations of their duties to assist those lower beings. He was new. He didn't understand the way things had to be.

"The confirmation is lucid. The law was intentionally broken."

"She has been corrupted by the views of her mate."

"Do not blame Daniel for this!" Leesia scream. "He has already been punished for his actions. He has served his sentence."

"Action must be taken to prevent a repeat occurrence."

The words piled on top of each other as they began speaking at once. "Banishment.", "Exile.", "Eradication."

"Please. Think about this." Oma's voice screamed threw the dim of the others musings. "Separating the pair now would be as good as murder!"

The others were stunned momentarily into silence by the force of her words.

"Allow this miracle to achieve its true potential. Allow them time, before passing your judgement." Oma begged.

"Please." Leesia joined in. "All we need is just some time."

The silence dragged.

Finally she heard their decision.

"You have one day." The highest regulator spoke with the authority that concluded the trial.

It wasn't enough time, but it was more than she had dared hope for. "Thank you." she sighed.

One by one the others disappeared. A couple of them even offered her sad smiles, their eyes shone with hope. She heard the silent wishes from them. They wanted her forgiveness and prayed for the best for her. Even though she didn't feel it, she returned their smiles. Baring grudges would not return her to Daniel now. Nothing would.

Finally only one light other than hers remained in the darkness.

"I am grateful for your assistance Oma." she said offering the largest smile she could muster under the circumstances.

"One tiny spark can set the whole forest ablaze." Oma's departing words echoed through the hopelessness. "You need but only to find that spark."

* * *

><p>The other three members of SG-1 had had enough.<p>

Enough of asking if he was all right and getting the standard 'I'm fine' response. Enough of seeing that pained look behind his eyes and not knowing the reason. Enough of the silence. For a linguist he was being surprisingly tight-lipped. They all knew Daniel would suffer in silence, rather than put any worry on anyone else's shoulders. That was just who he was. But just because he didn't want anyone else easing his burden didn't mean that he didn't need to share it and it certainly didn't mean they were going to allow it. Whether he wanted it or not they were going to get the source of his trouble out of him.

The three stuck close as they strode together into his office, presenting a united front. Uh oh ambush! he thought.

Sam was clearly the ringleader behind this. The look on her face told him that, concerned yet determined. Jack was looking almost as uncomfortable as Daniel felt. He rocked back on his heals, his lips pursed and he eyed around the cluttered office, avoiding eye contact. And Teal'c… well, Teal'c didn't really need to do or say anything but that was nothing unusual. His physical presence spoke volumes.

"Hi guys." Daniel greeted. "What's up?"

"That's what we want to know." Sam said, leaning forward to rest her elbows on his cluttered desk.

"I'm fine." Daniel answered, but the way his arms closed around himself and his brow furrowed told her otherwise. She looked at him sceptically.

"I'm fine." he repeated.

"Okay, that's a lie." Jack said dryly.

He was instantly reminded of high school. The jocks intimidating the geek for the approval of the pretty girl. Except this wasn't his lunch money they were after, this was something far worse. They wanted him to open up and he didn't want that. He didn't want to admit that she was gone. It made it too real.

"Jack." his tone was pleading.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Daniel," Jack snapped. Daniel was too stubborn for the softly, softly approach. "You know Carter's like a dog with a bone with these sorts of things. So,… spill."

"Okay, fine." Daniel sighed admitted defeat and jamming his hands deep into his pockets. He dropped his chin to his chest while he thought. He didn't know where to start. It all seemed so…, so mad. Insane even. He huffed out a deep breath, praying they weren't about to lock him in the nut house when he finished and started at the beginning. "Since I came back to the SGC, every night I've been visited by an Ancient." he peeked at his team mates, but couldn't desirer their blank expressions.

"Like haunting you?" Jack questioned.

"Well I wouldn't put it like that exactly." he said.

"Little creepy." Jack said.

"Actually I found it very…comforting." Daniel told him with a sad smile. "I believe that we knew each other when I was ascended, but that just a guess, because I still can't remember anything from then. I left it out of our mission report, but it was her that got me out of the cell on Anubis's ship."

"Her?" Jack questioned, raising one of his eyebrows. Teal'c copied O'Neill, but remained silent.

"Yeah." Daniel sighed.

"Well, I know what that's like." Sam said almost too quite for the others to hear.

"You do?" Daniel's eyes were wide. "Wait. You believe me?"

"Course." Jack grinned. "You've claimed wilder things than that before and you've always been sane…well, most of the time, anyway. Plus, same thing happened to Carter a while back."

"Really?" Daniel was truly shocked. He was expecting to be disbelieved, or accused of being crazy, or possibly even laughed at. So for them to not just believe it but for it to have actually happen before was quite a surprise.

Daniel listened intently while Sam explained what had happened with the Ancient: Orlin. How he had fallen in love with the Mayor and chosen to retake his human form to be with her. The tale sparked a hope within him. Ancients were able to chose to descend. If only Leesia did the same, Daniel thought sadly. Not that he wanted her to have given up her ascension, especially for him, but at least she would be safe.

"So here's a question for ya." Jack piped up, snapping Daniel out of his musings and back to reality. "How come when you helped us out, you got your ass spanked back into human form and your brain sucked dry. Yet she can spring you from the joint and get away with it Scot-free."

That was the question he didn't want asked and he certainly didn't want to answer. He spoke quietly. His voice full of regret and guilt. If he had stopped her this wouldn't be happening. "I don't think she has Jack."

"Do you fear she has been punished Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked his words seemed to seal it in stone.

"It doesn't look good." Daniel admitted. He didn't want to tell them how truly scared for her he actually was. He clung to that one hope. She could be out there somewhere, in human form. Out there somewhere, waiting to be found.

* * *

><p>As he slept that night he felt her presence. Waking, he sat up and put on his glasses before he recognized the formality of the situation.<p>

"You're here?" he called uncertainly and very hopefully, into the shadows.

After a long beat he heard her. _'I never really left you.' _

He sighed a long pent up sigh of relief. "You've been quiet"

_'I apologise if I caused you worry. It was necessary.' _

He nodded. He knew about the rule that the other Ancients enforced. Just by talking to him she had been walking the line before, but by freeing him on Anubis's ship she had crossed that line. She must have found a loop hole, as Oma had with him. At least that was what he had deduction.

"It's okay, I understand. The point is you're here now that's all that matters."

_…'I will not be able to come back'_

All relief he felt vanished with her words. Shock hitting him and knocking the air from his lungs. "What?…No." He frowned.

_'I just wished to say farewell to you.'_ She continued.

"No!" Daniel repeated stubbornly shacking his head. Refusing to take in what she was saying.

_'I broke the law.'_

"By helping me! By saving me! You did nothing wrong. Surely there is something that can be done. Can you retake human form, like I did?"

_"No. It is hard to explain but this is very different circumstances."_

"There must be something that we can do." Daniel said desperately.

_'I yearn to be able to explain this to you., but it is necessary for you to stay ignorant.'_

"Why?" he questioned.

She remained silent.

"Right." he sighed with frustration. She couldn't answer that. "I'm staying ignorant." sadly he added. "You should have left me there."

_'I do not regret my choice. Had I not taken action you would have come to harm and I could not bear that.' _Her words meant little to him. He didn't care what harm would have come to him, he only wanted her to stay.

"I don't want this to be goodbye" He felt his throat tighten as he spoke and the sting of held back tears. What he was feeling was so strong, so deep that it shook him to the core of his being. He desperately turned his head, searching for her in his seemingly empty bedroom. "…I…I've fallen in love with you." he confessed.

She appeared to him then, how could she not after his declaration to her. She stared at him with a look of deep sorrowfulness. "I wish you had not done that."

"I know that it sounds crazy, I hardly know you and I…" Daniel stammered. "I don't know. It's just when I'm with you I get this powerful feeling of…of devotion and desire. I felt it the first time I saw you… I know you don't feel the same, but I can't lose you, please!" He didn't know who his was begging, her or the others who would be responsible for taking her from him. He could hear the desperation in his voice, but he didn't care.

"I love you also" She said. Stunning him momentarily into silence. He really hadn't expected her to feel the same way.

"Then stay!" He cried, finding his voice.

"I am sorry. I sincerely wish I was able to." She placed her hand up to his cheek and he felt the warmth radiating from her. He closed his eyes enjoying the sensation.

_'My heart is with you always'._

A solitary tear squeezed from the corner of his still closed eyes. His jaw locked in an attempt to hold back the emotion that was threatening to brake through. He did not open his eyes. He knew she was no longer there, and he couldn't bear to see it for himself. He pulled his pillow tight to his chest as he faced the reality that once again he had a broken heart that he had to heal alone.

Fate, it seemed, would not allow him to love for long. He silently vowed that never again would he open himself up to love. Never again would he feel the hurt it caused.

* * *

><p>The next morning he overslept, having tossed and turned most of the night. As soon as he woke he shower, dressed and headed up to level nineteen to speak to Sam. She was the only person he knew who had any kind of experience like his. He went to her lab but she wasn't there.<p>

"You seen Major Carter?" He asked a passing SF.

"She's in the holding room dealing with a breach in security. Someone tried to get into the base using Colonel O'Neill's ID."

"How's they get it?" Daniel asked.

"Sorry, Dr. Jackson, that's all I know."

Turning on his heals and headed back the way he had come Daniel made his way up to the holding cell on level sixteen. The door was ajar and Sam was standing just beyond the threshold. Inside was a lad, in his early teens.

"-run some tests, find a cure and make me big again." Daniel caught the end of what the teenager was saying as he entered and stood next to Sam.

"This is the security breach?" He asked.

"Daniel!" The lad said, sounding relived to see him. "Will you tell them who I am, please?"

"Okay. Love to. Who are you?" Although a lot of his memories had returned, he had no recollection of the boy in front of him at the moment, but clearly the boy knew him.

"This young man claims he's Colonel O'Neill." Hammond explained to him.

"It's a joke, right?" Daniel looked to Sam for an explanation, but she just shock her head with a pained smile. "What's going on?"

"Daniel!" The young Jack shouted in frustration.

"Sounds like him. At least the loud, grating parts." Speaking to Sam had to wait for now. She had bigger (or rather, younger) things to worry about.

As problematical as the situation was, dealing with a 13 year old clone of Jack over the next week, had at least provided a much needed distraction for him. 'Every cloud has a silver lining', he thought, though he doubted either Jack would see things that way.

But even the most problematic times at the SGC wouldn't have been able to entirely occupy his active mind. And over the course of the next few weeks he found his thoughts drifting to her more and more frequently. Her image seemed to be burned on the inside of her eyelids. The silk of her voice echoed in his head. He threw himself into his work as was his way. He had done the same with his school work after the death of his parents. And also the same as with his parent was his almost constant wonderings of could he have done anything different to save her.

Even sleep didn't give him any peace.

Every night he was plagued by dreams of her. Each one pleasant. Some were absurd, others were just her included in his normal life and a few of them were both of them ascended together. But while he enjoyed them at the time, they left him with a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach when he awoke alone and remembered the reality of the situation.

* * *

><p>Daniel was staring at his desktop, lost in another trance, when Sam tapped on his office doorframe. When she got no response she called his name, which snapped him out of it.<p>

"Oh, sorry I was miles away." Daniel apologised.

"You've been distracted a lot recently." Sam asked, of course she would notice he was troubled.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and thought about it for a while before speaking again. Collecting together all of his courage he asked "Did you ever hear anything more from Orlin?" he held his breath while he waited for her answer.

"I take it Leesia hasn't visited recently." Sam guessed correctly.

"Not since she came to say goodbye." Daniel answered. He locked his jaw trying not to show the emotion that threatened to overcome him.

"Daniel?" She was now worried.

"Please, Sam. I need to know." 'But I'm not sure I want to.'

"No. I haven't seen him since." Sam answered his original question.

Daniel nodded solemnly, he wrapped his arms around his waist in a self hug. "You said that before he came to Earth he had been banished?"

"Yes. He helped the Velonian's build a weapon, but he was stopped by the others. They banished him to the planet." Sam explained.

"And he was trapped there?" Daniel asked, already knowing the answer.

"Till we showed up." Sam nodded. "You think the same things happened to Leesia?"

Daniel nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment. It was as he had feared. She may not be dead, but she may as well be to him. Banished to some unknown location, in an infinite universe. He could search for a thousand lifetimes and still not find her. And worse still if they had wiped her memory as they had his, she wouldn't even remember him to attempt to look for him if she was so inclined. It would all be down to him, if they were ever to see each other again.

"I have no idea but she's never stayed away before." Daniel answered Sam. "I can't stop thinking about her." He confessed.

"You love her." Sam suddenly realised.

Daniel didn't answer, but Sam didn't need words, the truth was written all over her friends face. She couldn't believe she hadn't figured it out before, it was so obvious. All the signs were there. The way he spoke about her, the spring in his step (which had ended abruptly when he returned from Anubis's ship), the distraction, but more prominent was the intense anguish he was now stuck in. It had been the same when he had lost Sha're.

She stepped around the desk and wrapped her arms around her friend. Daniel gratefully tightened her hug, taking comfort from her silent support.

* * *

><p>Two more weeks passed, slowly.<p>

During that time Daniel found somewhere to live and moved out of the SGC into his own place. It was a modest little bungalow. One bedroom, set on a slight slop so the back was a couple of foot lower than the front. It had a old cottage warmth to it, which is what had drawn him to it in the first place. It was perfect for him, humble and quite, and close to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.

With the exception of while he was ascended, nearly all of his memories had slowly returned. Including every detail of the death of his parents, he wished he had had Leesia's comforting presence with him when he had remembered that. He still hadn't seen her since the evening that he had confessed his feelings for her and he feared that it had been the last. Still he clung to the hope that one day he would find her. On one of their travels through the gate there she would be. She was out there, somewhere, in the infinite of space. He knew the chances of finding her were one in a billion but there was still that chance, however small he would take it gladly. However small the hope he would hold onto it.

Night was the hardest. He longed for the pleasant dreams he had had before. Now they seemed to mock him, because when he did manage to sleep it was troubled and was plagued by nightmares. He woke often, bathed in a cold sweat. In his dreams Leesia was lost, helpless and crying out for him, her silken voice distorted in pain as she repeatedly called his name. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remember where she was. Her location always on the edge of his memory, just out of reach from his mind.

So he avoided sleep and became even more dependent on coffee than he was before.

* * *

><p>It had been a good day for Daniel. For the first time, since he had returned, he had gone through the stargate on a mission feeling like he knew what he was doing, somewhat, with his memory restored, although there were still a few holes and nothing of his time as an Ancient. Not only that but he knew that had SG-1 not gone on that mission to P3X-289 many more would have died. They had done well and saved many lives.<p>

He should be happy. No, he should be ecstatic.

Yet he was miserable.

It was another planet that Leesia hadn't been on. Another dent in the hope of finding her. Another cut to his broken heart.

But he wouldn't give up. He would search the cosmos till he was old and grey if he needed to. He managed a small smile as he imagined them having to install a stair-lift on the ramp for the Stargate for him.

"Whatever it takes," he vowed, as he unlocked his front door and stepped inside. He would find her. He had lost Sha're and history would not repeat itself. He would do everything he could and more.

He was emotionally exhausted and decided to take a quick shower to attempt to wash away the stress and ease the tenseness in his shoulders before going to bed.

He stood under the flow and enjoyed the hammering of the warm water. That is until the water rebounding off his shoulder, caused a light spray to tickle his cheek, instantly reminding him of how Leesia's touch felt against his skin. The warm tingle that was like a million tiny sparks of electricity. Even though he rarely cried it did not shock him that the wetness running down his cheeks was not just from the shower. He ached for her. A physical pain that made it hard for him to breath.

His back and chest shook with his sobs and he pounded his fist against the tiled wall, in frustration. He blamed himself for her disappearance. This had happened because she had saved him. Whether he wanted her to help or not, it was because of him. Why had he let her? Even if he couldn't of physically stop her, he was a linguist for god sake, he should have been able to talk her out of it. He should have told her how he felt sooner, rather than waiting till it was too late. If she had known how much it would pain him to be parted from her, maybe she wouldn't of done it. Whatever Anubis had planned for him couldn't compare to this anguish. He would take that torture a thousand times over if it meant seeing her again.

Turning he let himself slid down the wall, sitting under the hot drizzle. Wrapping his arms around his torso, he capturing himself in a self hug and wept as his broken heart poured out of him.

There he stayed until the water turned cold and his shakes turned to shivers. Catching pneumonia would not help him find her.

He took several deep breaths, in attempt to get control of himself, before stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. Leaning on the sink he took in his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were a little blood shot, but he didn't mind, letting go had felt good. He felt lighter somehow. Perhaps tonight he would get some sleep without being overwhelmed by the nightmares.

With the hope of that slight silver lining he headed for bed, but as he flicked on his bedroom light he got a shock that made his breath catch and his heart skip a beat.

Curled up in the foetal position, naked on his bed, was Leesia.

That part he remembered, oh so clearly.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry Cliff-hanger. I am very evil I know.<p>

Next chapter is a bit on the lemon side, so I will be editing for the K+ rating and reposting whole story again with an M rating.

review if you want more :) You have been warned Mwahahahahahahaha


	4. Chapter 3 The Return

**Chapter Three - Return**

Daniel stared in wide-eyed amazement. _'Oh my God! She's here… she's human'. _He was used to losing loved ones: his parents, Sha're. But, to have one return to him was unique. The emotions battled across his face for control of his expression, eventually delight was victorious and his shocked expression was broken by a huge smile erupting on his face. New tears, these ones from joy, stung the edges of his eyes.

Moving immediately to the bed, he covered her quickly with a blanket, averting his eyes from her nakedness as he did. He wouldn't sit there with her nude, it wasn't right. So he protected her innocence. But now with her bareness masked, he felt free to look.

She was more beautiful than he remembered. His memories of her hadn't done her justice. She looked so peaceful, wearing an expression of total tranquillity.

Although he really didn't want to wake her and bring her out of this perfect peace she was in, he needed to prove to himself that she really was here and this wasn't some cruel dream. Gently he reached to her and placed his hand as softly as he could on her cheek. He felt her warmth, her skin, her humanness. He sighed and smiled immensely, she really was here and human. He had never felt such relief and bliss before.

But his touch woke her. She stirred and looked up at him, her eyes growing wide. "Daniel?"

"Yeah." he sighed in relief. "You remember me."

She nodded carefully. "I remember you."

She sat up quickly. The blanket he had covered her with fell away from to reveal her naked form back to him. He earnestly kept his eyes locked on her face. Refusing to let his them travel south. She looked shocked, confused and more than a little scared.

"Are you okay?"

She appeared lost for words as she looked down at herself and began examining her new form. Flexing her hands and arms under her close inspection. "I am…?"

"…human." he finished for her.

She sighed. "It is alien to me."

"How?" he asked. "You said it wasn't possible."

Her focus turned to him with new wonder in her eyes. "I…" she paused, her mouth open to speak. She frowned.

"You don't remember?" he asked, returning her gaze.

She slowly shock her head, her furrowed brow remaining. "There is only you."

"You're doing better than I did." He smiled and as he did the movement caught her attention and her gaze switched instantly to his mouth. She hesitantly raised her hand, letting her fingers lightly trace the contours of his lips. They parted slightly at her touch and he had a fast, short intake of breath. He realised that as well as the smoothness and warmth of her skin, he could still feel the sparks he had when she was ascended. The amalgamation of them both was as incredible feeling. A tingling warmth that seeped into him, stimulating and heating as it absorbed into his being.

She slid her finger, just as tenderly along his jaw, across his cheek bone, the bridge of his nose, following the arch of his thick eyebrow. Each tiny area she felt she viewed with fresh wonder, a look of awe on her face. Fascinated by his responses and the vibrations.

"I have never experienced 'touch' before." she explained.

He closed his eyes at the sensations and as he did she draw her finger tips across his eyelid, so softly it was a whisper.

"It is different…being human…" she said, as she continued her explorations. Her fingers moved into his dark blonde hair. "The sensations of interaction…even the emotions. I feel a little scared but that is a feeling I have experienced before. There are other emotions, ones I have not experienced. I do not understand them."

"Can you describe it?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

She was silent for a brief moment, while she thought about it. "It is a mixed feeling, I feel warm and safe and yet open and exposed." she rose up on her knees as she spoke, her confident fingers feeling through his scalp. Before he could stop himself, his eyes travelled quickly over her body. He gulped down the lump that rose in his throat and forced his attention back to her face. She really was incredibly beautiful; looking at him in a mixture of longing and need. He knew the look, it was the same one as she was seeing on his face. She was looking at him with the eyes of lust. He was suddenly very aware that it was only his towel that was hiding his own nakedness. She shifted closer towards him, but as she did he backed away. Sliding off the bed, he fished a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt out of his draw.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, looking hurt by his reaction, as he pulled the pants over his hips, letting the towel then drop to the floor.

"No," he was quick to answer, shaking his head. "no, it's just that I think I know what you want and you're not ready for it yet."

She frowned at him, tilting her head, looking just like a confused puppy. He found it completely endearing. "I do not understand these feelings or your reluctance in helping me understand them."

He pulled his t-shirt over his head and rejoined her on his bed. "I think what you're feeling is what we call feelings of intimacy, when two people get as close as we have, an emotional bond develops and builds up and you crave closeness…Does that sound like what you are feeling?" Daniel tried to explain the best he could. He could feel the heat of a blush rise in his cheeks, but there wasn't much blood available for his face at that moment.

"I am unsure." she answered honestly, still looking confused.

He thought about how he could word it as simply as possible. "Do you…Do you want me to touch you?" he asked feeling more than a little awkward with his choice of words but unable to think of another way, a better way, to put it.

She swallowed hard and nodded.

"I cant do that. You know I cant do that, don't you?"

She looked at him inquisitively.

"It would be taking advantage of you." he continued. "You do not understand these feelings, so you can't be sure this is what you really want."

She nodded, showing her comprehension of his words "I know I want to be close to you, it is true that I don't know why or how humans do this, but I trust you. I know you and know that you would not do anything to hurt me or go against my will." she smiled.

"That's true, I wouldn't." he agreed. "But …" He had a strange sense of déjá-vu.

"Then I do not understand. What is your reluctance? You distinctly want this as much as I do."

Daniel, shocked, took a deep breath and thought quickly. Trying to explain this to her was like trying to explain the colours to a person born without sight. He had spent his most of his life learning to communicate with people in many different ways but he realised that no words where going to work here. The only way to make her realise how exactly he felt, was to show her physically.

He slowly leaned forward and kissed her, gently. Running his finger through her long locks, stroking his palm against her check. The kiss remained slow, but so deep. He felt her heart flutter and he pulled her tighter to him.

When he broke the kiss she gasped for breath.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"That felt very… intense." she breathed "…but I still desire more."

He swallowed deeply. "I do too, but…"

She leaned towards him.

"…it would…"

Turning her head slightly to the side, their lips millimetres apart.

"…be…"

He tasted her breath, like hot ice on his tongue.

"…wrong." he said finally, giving in. His eyes closed. He expected to feel her lips met his, but the touch didn't come. When he opened his eyes again she had pulled away but only by a fraction. She was still eye to eye with him.

"I trust you." she said before closing the gap. Their kiss was firmer than the first. She threaded her fingers back through his hair, holding him close to her. Part of him knew he should be pulling away. She was new to this, innocent to this life. He didn't wish to hurt her feelings as he had done when he refused earlier but he knew he should. He just couldn't bring himself to pull away from her. His hands mirrored hers and twisted her locks throw his fingers, before trailing down her back. Feeling her soft, warm skin against his palms. He felt his heart rate pick up as she brushed up against his chest. He wanted, no needed to feel her against his skin and broke the kiss to pull his t-shirt off. He discarded it and wrapped his arms around her waist. He leaned in to re-establish the kiss but she moved away from him slightly. He opened his eyes to find hers focused on his chest, the look of awe back on her face.

His jaw dropped and his breathing hitched as her fingers found his chest and painfully slowly began tracing lines on his body as she had with his face. He laid back, giving her all the access to him she craved. She followed the line of his collar bone to his round shoulder and then back finding the definition of his pectoral muscle. Over one, then the other brown nipple, that pebbled instantly. Her touch seemed to ignite his every cell, her fingers leaving a tingling path in their wake. She trace down over each of his abs, setting his stomach muscles into spasm, to the V of his hip bone. Here she paused, her bottom lip pinched between her teeth.

"It's okay." he whispered to her, taking both her hand in his and pulling them back to his upper chest, placing them on his heart. "Let's go slow."

He pulled her to him and kissed her forehead before sitting up. "Come with me." He instructed, as he scooted off the bed. As she didn't have any clothes of her own Daniel handed her one of his own shirts from his wardrobe. Problem was there were no pants he owned that would fit her slight frame, everything they tried just slide off her hips. Luckily his shirt came down to her mid-thighs.

He was scheduled to go off world in the morning so tonight he decided it was necessary to forgo sleep and show her around. He started in the bathroom, showing her how everything worked. She took it all in relatively silent asking a few question. That ended once he moved onto the kitchen. Here there were too many gadgets for her to puzzle over and she asked question after question on how everything worked and to what purpose. He noticed that as he was explaining all theses things she was grazing her hands over every surface near her, leaning how each felt; smooth? Rough? Cold? Everything was new to her and she viewed each thing he showed her or explained with fresh appreciation.

The last thing he showed her was the telephone. He deliberately left this for last so it would be fresh in her mind. He then called it using his mobile and let her answer it. He promised to call her from the base if he was able to.

He quizzed her on everything he had explained once he finished. She repeated his instructions back to him word perfect.

The night wasn't long enough and before he knew it, he had to get ready to leave. He showered, changed and made them both breakfast, each under her intent gaze, which in the case of his shower had been a little uncomfortable.

"Will you be okay?" he asked her.

She smiled and gazed around the many wonders his living room had to offer. "I shall be fine. I will miss you until you return, but I shall be fine."

"You sure you remember how everything works?"

"Do you wish to test me again?"

He nodded, reassured and grabbed his keys, but he hesitated before leaving, turning back to face her. "I love you." he told her shyly.

Her smile widened and she stepping up to him, pushing herself to his chest. Her hand stroked his check, her eyes tinkering with joy. "I love you also."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her tighter to him and pressed a kiss on the side of her throat. "I wish I didn't have to go."

"I know. I do also, however what you do is far too essential. You are stalling the inevitable."

"Not subtle enough?"

She giggled. "No." Lightly she pushed away from his embrace. "Go, but stay safe."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N ~ <strong>

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Submit your comments onto text.

To discover the fate of characters old and new

All you have to do is review.

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Check out the video trailer for light god on you tube. link on profile.


	5. Chapter 4 Together

**AN ~ **Spoilers for Lifeboat.

**Chapter Four - Together**

"Hello?" Daniel called closing the front door behind him.

He got no response, but heard ruffling coming from the living room. He deposited his shopping bags by the door and followed the sound. He found her sitting crossed legged on the floor completely surrounded in books. Every book he owned by the looks of it. She was completely focused and didn't look up as he entered the room. He moved a small stack off the end of the sofa nearest to her and sat down.

"What are you doing?" he asked her softly. She flicked through the pages her eyes flitting back and forth.

"Learning." she replied simply, finally looking at him. A smile broke across her face and he couldn't help but return it with one of his own. Her smile seemed to be contagious to him, it lit up her whole face making her eyes dance.

She attentively traced his lips with her fingertip, before she returned to the book. A minute or two later she finished, closed the book and balanced it on top of a teetering pile.

"Do you have anymore?" she asked him.

He glanced around the jumbled room, at the sheer mass of volumes around them. "You can't have looked through all these, I wasn't away _that_ long."

"You went on a mission." It wasn't a question. "You were gone for longer than expected and you did not call." she didn't sound annoyed, just curious.

He rubbed the back of his neck roughly. "Yeah, um, there where some…complications."

She heard the stress in his voice and was immediately alarmed. Raising up to her knees, she moved herself between his thighs. She reached up to touch his face, her palm holding his cheek. Her eyes searched his face. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. It was just a bit traumatic." He quickly explained about SG-1's most resent mission to P2A-347. How 12 minds, from the Stromos had been downloaded into his brain. "I don't actually remember it, just counting the crew in their stasis chambers, then I was back at the SGC with Janet in an isolation room and then I woke up back on the ship again with a server headache."

"That does sound traumatic." she agreed.

"Painful to, but apparently you've been on a mission of your own." He smiled, eyeing the books once again. "Anything in particular you were looking for?"

"No. Simply learning about your people, your planet. Once I learnt to read your language it was-"

"Wait! You taught yourself to read _and_ read all these while I was gone?" He was amazed. She had the physique of a woman in her late twenties the mannerisms of someone much younger, innocent, yet clearly her mind was much, much older and more advanced.

She gazed into his astounded expression. "Have I done something wrong? There was not much in these books about what is considered correct behaviour, not current demeanour anyway. Although with this amount of data I believe I would be quit sufficient in your ancient Egypt."

He chuckled. "Some things we can't learn through books. And no you've done nothing wrong. I'm just surprised. The average person would take years to read all these." he waved his arm across the room, indicating all the books piled around her like a nest. "Not hours."

"I wished to absorb as much as possible as I did not know how much time I would have once you informed your people that I was human."

"Yeah, about that…I didn't tell them."

She tilted her head, questionably, at him. She didn't have to speak for him to see the 'why' being asked. He was going to say that he was worried that they would think he had cracked after everything he had been through on the last mission, but he knew that would only be a half truth, so he opted to tell her the main reason for his silence.

"I wanted to keep you for myself…for the time being at least." he said taking her hand.

"But I am yours and yours alone and ever shall be. Revealing my existence will not make me less so. Nothing can alter that."

'His', he liked the sound of that. He smiled warmly down at her as he gazed into the depth of her brown eyes. She brought her lips to his. Instinctually he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. Standing he swept her up off the floor and carefully stepped over the dubiously piled books he carried her to his bedroom.

"I have been ordered to go straight to bed when I got home and I intended to follow the instructions to the letter. But they never said anything about having some company." He just wanted to hold her, maybe kiss her but more importantly he just wanted to know she was there. He wasn't alone anymore. For the brief few moments when he had regained consciousness in the isolation room with Janet he had been terrified that he was in fact losing his mind and he had imagined Leesia's whole return. The fear had only lasted for seconds, but it had been enough to make his heart hammer so hard against his ribs it caused him to black out again. When he had come to back on the ship his fear had abated some, but until he touched her it hadn't completely eased. He needed to hold her, feel her in his embrace so he could silence his panic.

He lowered her down onto the beds soft surface and laid next to her on his side, propped up on his elbow, his other hand on her abdomen. Her hands slipped under his shirt, feeling his chest as she had done the other night.

"I find your skin very alluring. It's soft and hard simultaneously. I may become addicted to your feel." she teased with a smile.

"I may let you." He dropped his head back, exposing his throat for her wondering fingers to explore the new terrain. He sighed deeply as she stroked down towards his collar bone and back up to the sensitive spot behind his ear.

"It feels good?" she asked.

"Incredible." he told her.

She beamed that smile that made her eyes dance with delight and repeated the same path her fingers had made but this time with her lips, causing him to moan. As she passed his jaw on the third him he turned his head and quickly caught her lips with his own, and it was her turn to moan.

"I want this." she told him simply. "I read about it: intimacy. I understand how the act happens now."

"You can't understand it through reading, it's something you have to experience to understand."

"Then let me experience it." she said, bringing her lips back to his exposed flesh. The tingles were back and just as merciless in taxing his restraint.

"I feel like I'd be taking advantage of you." he said as she started unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing. He took hold of her wrist gently stopping her.

"I can't do that." he told her gently. It took a lot of will to not drop his head to her skin she had managed to expose before he had stopped her. He wanted to taste her the same way she had just been doing to him, but her closeness and the tingles that were jumping between them were already taxing his control. If he started something now he doubted he would be able to stop.

"I read about that too 'to take advantage of someone: To use somebody in a selfish way in order to achieve a personal benefit, usually by exploiting a weakness' I do not comprehend how that applies in this situation. It can not be selfish if it's something we both desire. It's an act we can both take pleasure in so it will not be solely to your benefit. Are you planning to exploit any of my weaknesses?"

"No, never!"

"Then by definition you would not be taking advantage of me."

She had done her homework and had all the facts, but he was not about to lose this argument. "That's neither here nor there. It's not logical, it a feeling. You seem so innocent to me and I just want to protect that…can you understand that?"

She sighed and nodded. "I understand, but you have to know that your feelings are erroneous. I am more than mildly disappointed that you feel this way, but I will abide by your wishes."

Despite his best efforts he had once again hurt her feelings, he could hear it in her voice. "My point is it'll be better for us to wait. Usually people build up their relationship before taking that step, but believe me it is nothing to do with my wishes." he swallowed hard, as he ran a finger down her slender neck.

"Then I am confused again. You were correct: it really is not logical at all. Will you always feel this way for me?"

"Oh no, it's not like that." He cursed himself. He wasn't making her feel any better. "It's not about how I feel. Believe me I want to, it's…like I said it's something you build up to in a relationship."

"How?"

"By getting to know each other, learning to trust each other… falling in love."

"I know, trust and love you already. Are your feeling towards me not the same?" her eyes sparkled and he saw hurt there.

"Oh no, I mean, yes they are. Of course I…" he sighed heavily. Only she could make him, the linguist, struggle for words. He couldn't believe that he's once again made her feel rejected, all he seemed to be doing was making things worse with everything he said

That was it, argument over. "I know, trust and love you too." he echoed back to her.

Her confused puppy look was back, replacing the pained on of rejection, but before she could speak he locked his lips on hers.

Resting his forehead on hers he told her. "If you start to feel uncomfortable with anything, you will tell me?"

"Yes." she breathed eagerly.

"Right away?" he looked her straight in the eye.

"Yes." she repeated, meeting his gaze.

He took a second to absorb her words before grazing her lower lip with his thumb, his own lips following close behind it.

...

They remained silent in the warm embrace of each others arms, clinging to each other as their breathing slowed and their pounding hearts calmed.

Slowly he raised his head from her shoulder and his cool blue eyes met her warm brown. "Are you okay?" he asked her yet again.

"No. I have far surpassed merely okay. I now know what your meaning was when you said you have to experience the act to understand it. That was amazing." She smiled up at him and pulled his head closer to lock their lips together. "Is it always like that for humans?" she asked, the look of innocence still apparent in her.

Daniel smiled at her and answered honestly, "No. It's never been like that before."

Slowly, he rolled to the side, keeping her in his arms. "I love you." he whispered as he kissed her on top of her head.

"I love you also." she replied.

As they cooled Daniel pulled the comforter over them both. Even though he had been nearly exhausted before their coupling, not sleeping the previous night and having a challenging mission to deal with as well, now he had the opportunity to sleep, he couldn't face closing his eyes. He didn't want to miss a second of the total tranquillity and bliss he was now feeling. Leesia, curled herself along side him, her eyes closed, her fingers tracing patterns over his heart. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, unwilling to let the smallest gap come between them.

* * *

><p>AN ~ Next chapter is nearly complete, but wont be up until I get at least two reviews. Mwahaha! J<p> 


	6. Chapter 5 Shocks

**Chapter Five - Shocks**

Daniel blinked hard trying to clear his hazy sleep ridden sight. He groped the night stand for his glasses, slipped them on and his bedroom came into sharp focus. The sunlight streamed in through the window behind him, warming and lightening the already warm room. Daniel rolled his weary shoulders, expecting to feel them tense and stiff, but was surprise when he found neither. His whole body felt drained of all tension. Completely relaxed. In fact he felt…euphoric.

A smile dug deep dimples into his face as he recalled the previous night. The sensations their love making had created still seemed to linger. His skin seemed to prickle with even the thought of the effect her touch had had on him. He rolled over to face her, eager to feel those tingles again. Unfortunately for him he found her side of the bed empty.

"Leesia?" he called eagerly, but even as he did he realised where she was. He could hear the shower running from the bathroom.

The pounding of the water muffled his tap on the bathroom door and his call of her name. He took full advantage of her distraction and stealthily slipped into the shower behind her. He snaked his arms around her waist and she jumped in shock.

"Surprise." he grinned cheekily, kissing her on the shoulder.

"You made my heart stop." she reprimanded with a pouting smile.

"Now you know how I felt when you showed up naked in my bed." he said between open mouthed kisses he trailed up the side of her neck.

"This was your retribution for that?"

"No, this is." he said gently turning her head by her chin to face him, he claimed her lips with his own. She pirouetted in his arms, keeping their waltzing mouths together and pressed her body close to his. Her hands moved to mirror opposites of his. One circling his waist and the other cradling his face. The tingles sparked sharply through them both as their lips kept up the dance, combined with the light pounding of the hot water it was a odd sensation. Like their hands and touch where everywhere, beating down on the lovers. They groaned simultaneously. '_How did I get so lucky?'_.

Their second coupling was every bit as tender as their first and like before the tingles pulsing through them took his breath away.

He felt pleasantly drained as he stepped out of the shower. Grabbing a towel of the rack he wrapped it around his waist and handed a second to Leesia.

She took it from him and copied his actions, also wrapping it around her waist, leaving her breast exposed.

He chuckled at the innocence of her behaviour and removed the towel, lifting it higher and tucking it into itself under her arms.

She tilted her head and looked at him with questioning eyes.

"It's just how woman do it." he told her.

"Males are allowed to expose their chest and females are not?" she queried.

"For the most part." he told her. "Some countries it's viewed natural for woman to expose their breast, but not this one. Here breast are considered private, not something to be shown in public."

She eyed around the bathroom. "But we are alone Daniel."

He chuckled. "Good point."

The couple made their way back to the bedroom to get dressed.

"Oh hang on," he said pausing her as she reached for his shirt that she had been wearing. He darted from the room, but return moments later carrying several shopping bags that he had left by the front door the day before. He positioned them on the bed in front of her. "I can't believe I forgot. I got these for you on my way home yesterday. Figured you needed something of your own."

Leesia peeked inside the nearest bag keenly. Her brow furrowed as she pulled out a white bra. "Uh thank you." she said turning the alien garment over in her hands, clearly confused as to its purpose.

He grinned as he explained how it fitted and showed her the matching panties also in the bag, before she pulled out the contents of the next one. It was a cream dress with spaghetti straps, a ribbon circling above the waist and delicate white floral design lace overlay. Not knowing her fashion taste he had tried to keep things simple, but this dress had appealed to him and he knew he had to buy it for her. He hoped she would like it. Her reaction however was not what he expected.

She gasped and dropped it, as if it had burnt her.

"What's wrong?" he was quick to ask.

Her attention snapped up to his face. She looked shocked and amazed in equal measures. "What made you chose this particular item?" she demanded.

"I.." he shock his head and pursed his lips. "I don't know." he admitted. "Don't you like it?"

"I like it very much."

His brow furrowed deeply. "Then what's the problem?"

"I have worn something similar to this before," she told him. "when we were ascended." she quickly stepped right up in front of him. Her hands cupped his cheeks, lightly tugging until she was able to look deep into his eyes. "Do you remember?" her gaze intensified, as if she could find all that he had forgotten. He looked back at her, troubled and confused. "Try." she pleaded.

He closed his eyes concentrating on the dress. Picturing Leesia wearing it. Thinking about the moment he had seen it in the store. As soon as he had seen it he had known that he had to get it for her, but the question was why. That dress had appealed to him, more than any of the others, but was it just because he liked it or was it something more than that? Was it familiar to him? Was the memory there?

His jaw tightened against her palms and he squeezed his eyelids tighter together, as if sheer determination and will power would push his buried memories to the surface. Both of them subconsciously held their breath.

"I'm sorry." he sighed in defeat, meeting her expectant eyes. "There's nothing. I was drawn to it, but I have no idea why."

She sighed and nodded in disappointment, but almost immediately after she smiled. "Do not apologise." she told him, a twinkle lighting her dark eyes. "This proves that the memories are there."

She rose up on her toes to leave a kiss on his lips before returning to the bags. She was thrilled, but now not surprised, to find that with a few exceptions most of the clothing he had chosen for her was either cream, white (as she mostly wore when she was ascended, as did all the others) or light blue (her favourite colour ever since the first moment she had seen his eyes). Her delight tugged her smile wider. He would remember, she was sure of it.

She selected a pale blue dress and stepped into it, wrapping a cream zip hoodie over the top and slipping her feet into the tennis shoes he had brought her.

"You look beautiful." he said as he pulled on his BDU pants and black t-shirt ready to go back to Cheyenne Mountain.

"Are you ready to introduce me to the others now?" she asked him, sounding eager.

"Are you?" he returned. He was a little apprehensive. He knew that his friends would be welcoming to her, but there were others that he didn't trust as far as he could throw them. Woolsey for one, Kinsey for another, in fact the anyone that had ever been associated at any point with the NID. He knew he couldn't keep her hidden and the safest thing for him to do was to introduce her to the members of the SGC, but he couldn't help the worry.

"I relish the opportunity to become acquainted with the people that mean so much to you." she told him. "Besides I feel it will become very dull here without you as I have read everything your home has to offer."

"There is a library around the corner. I could leave you there." he teased. "well for about forty-five minutes anyway. It's not that big, wouldn't take you that long to get though it."

She giggled sweetly. "Come on." she said pulling him towards the door, looking like a little kid on her way to the playground. "I know I will have to earn their trust and I am impatient to get started."

"Okay." he smiled allowing her to drag him along.

He called General Hammond from the road, explaining Leesia's arrival briefly to him and when the couple arrived at the mountain complex fifteen minutes later they found a SF waiting to meet them.

"Doctor Jackson." he nodded a greeting. "General Hammond requested me to escort you and the young lady to his office."

"Of course he did." Daniel said noticing the way the solider didn't take his eye off Leesia when he spoke. He tried to remember that everyone new would be treated the same way. It didn't mean anything other than they were being cautious. Still it was hard to see the way the SF finger hovered over the trigger of his weapon as if she was a threat.

The SF fell in behind them as they made their way through the check points to the first elevator. As the steel doors slide open on level eleven Leesia lead the way towards the second elevator need to gain assess to the lower levels.

"For someone who's supposedly never been here before you sure know your way around miss." the SF commented to her sounding suspicious. No doubt he was searching for any warning signs from the former Ancient.

"The blind may find there way easier in the dark than the sighted. Do not let yourself be fooled by what you can see." Leesia said to him.

"In one blink of an eye he has miss-seen." Daniel finished.

"What?" the SF frowned, wondering if the woman was actually blind.

Daniel disguised a laugh with a cough. "She's been here before." he translated her meaning to the perplexed man, as they arrived at Hammond's office and Daniel tapped on the door.

"Come in, son. Have a seat." the General welcomed them in, before dismissing the SF. "I'm sorry about that, but it is protocol." he said as the couple took their seats on the opposite side of his large desk.

"Do not feel the need to apologise. Your apprehension is understandable, however it is unnecessary General Hammond." she said smiling.

Straight down to business. He was liking this woman already. "How so?" he asked in his deep Texan drawl.

"I have been in this base, unseen, for the past few months. If I had any intention of divulging any information I have gain here I would have done so already. There is little here that I did not have knowledge of prior to my arrival."

Hammond was taken aback by her openness.

"As a former Ancient I more than most, yourself included, know the importance of keeping others in the dark about certain secrets they are not ready to know. I realise that I am going to have to earn your trust and learn your ways. I only ask that I be allowed to try."

"She'll be able to help, sir." Daniel spoke up added his own argument. "She is fluent in Ancient and I've never seen anyone absorb information the way she does. She could be a asset to the SGC, if she's given the chance. There's a backlog of Ancient artefacts back in my office that I've yet to translate. Being a member of SG-1 as well as the sole speaker of the languish means the pileup had grown considerably, there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done. I could sure use the help, sir."

Hammond allowed the Doctor to finish before speaking again. "There is no need to convince me Doctor Jackson. From what I hear she has already been helpful on your recent mission with Mr Quinn. In future I expect your reports to be completely accurate."

"Jack." Daniel said knowingly.

The General nodded. "He didn't see why Leesia's assistance with your situation was needed to be left out of the report and frankly I agree with him. Is there some reason you neglected this detail?" he eyed Daniel as if over the top of a pair of imaginary glasses, making him feel like a naughty kid sent to the headmasters office.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wishing Leesia wasn't here to witness his wrist-slapping. Stealing a quick glance at her from the corner of his eye he found that she was looking at him with the same inquisitive expression as Hammond. _'Ok looks like it's all aboard for the Daniel Jackson guilt trip.'_

"Did I not insist that you should trust them?" she said, sounding to Daniel very much like an 'I told you so'.

"To be honest with you, I thought you would all think I'd snapped. The last time I confessed to seeing things that you all couldn't things hadn't exactly gone in my favour."

"I see." Like many on base Hammond hadn't forgiven himself for having Daniel committed to mental health once before. He sighed deeply, breaking the tension that was building in the small room. "Well," he said shifted his attention back to Leesia. "let me be the first to say welcome to the SGC. I'm sure we'll all be grateful for any assistance you can give us."

She smiled gratefully.

"What about off base?" Daniel asked, he knew protocol dictated that as an alien she should remain at the SGC just as Teal'c did. He didn't want to give up his house, but he would if she had to stay here. "She would be my responsibility, sir."

Hammond thought about that for a long while. Had it been anyone other than a trusted member of SG-1 he would have instantly said 'no', but this was Doctor Jackson. His instinct and insights had never steered them wrong so far. If he trusted her then that was good enough for him. "Fair enough. Providing Leesia stays at the SGC while you are here or off-world."

Leesia beamed wider at his words, causing Daniel to chuckle.

"Did I say something funny?" Hammond asked.

"No, it's just she was hoping you'd say that." he told the baffled General.

"I have already read everything that Daniel's home has to offer and I wished for more, as well as the opportunity to interact with others while he is away."

"I see." he said. "Now, what can you tell us about the Ancients?"

"Very little." she said with a small shake of her head. "You see in order to re-take human form I had to sacrifice a large bulk of my knowledge and most of my memories. I recall little more than the last year of my life."

"So you remember some of your time as an Ancient?" Hammond coaxed.

"Yes." Leesia said. "but nothing that would be of any use to you."

Hammond waited for her to continue and when she didn't he turned his attention to Daniel.

"Don't look at me, sir. She just as tight lipped with me on the subject."

"Because you will remember on your own." she insisted.

"Okay, well I know the rest of SG-1 are as keen to met you as I was. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c are currently off world, but Mayor Carter-"

"They are sir?" Daniel interrupted, puzzled. The four of them weren't scheduled for an off world assignment for the next few days, due to Daniel resent trauma and Sam had a check to do on the Stargates system.

"Yes, Lieutenant Ritter went missing a few hours ago. Colonel O'Neill has gone to lead the search party. He's had some artefacts from the planet sent back. They've been taken to your office."

"They've been moved?" Daniel said irritably.

"They were inhibiting the mining." Hammond told him.

"First I have to ask you to submit to a physical. Doctor Frasier is expecting you."

Daniel took hold of her hand and gave it a slight squeeze as he led her back towards the elevator. "You okay?" he asked seeing her shy expression.

"I am not accustomed to be the focus of so many peoples attention." she explained.

He hadn't noticed, but now she mentioned it he spotted all of the staff they passed where watching the couple. Of course they all knew him, but they had never seen him walking the halls hand in hand with a woman before. No doubt the gossip would be flying around the base. "It's nothing to worry about. They're just curious that's all."

He guided her into the elevator and stepped in behind her. He jabbed the button for level 21. As soon as the steel doors had slid shut he pulled her into his arms, giving her a lingering kiss as the elevator made its ascent. He had wanted to do that since taking hold of her hand. Something about the physical touch of her skin on his made him crave her more. The way the tingles sparked against him tugged him to her.

Reluctantly and breathless he pulled away from her tantalizing lips just before the doors slid apart.

"Sorry." he whispered to her as he lead her in the right direction. "I couldn't help myself."

"You have made me very eager to return home." she lightly grumbled.

He laughed. "And you were so keen to come here as well."

As they walked through into the infirmary Leesia froze at the threshold. She stopped so abruptly that it took Daniel a second to realise she was no longer by his side. He spun back to the doorway to find her staring around her with a look of concerned wonder.

"Lees, you okay?" he asked not liking the expression she was wearing.

"Leesia?" he called slightly louder when she didn't respond to his first call.

"Yes." her attention snapped to his face, but the panicked look remained.

"You okay?" he repeated.

"Yes." she told him.

He didn't believe her. "What is it?"

Before he got an answer from her Janet stepped up and introduced herself. "You must be Leesia. I'm Doctor Frasier, it's nice to finally meet you."

"Thank you, you also."

"Finally?" Daniel queried with a puzzled expression.

"Sam has mentioned her." the Doctor answered.

First Jack and now Sam. "I never realised how many blabber mouths there were in this place. Exactly how long have I been the source of hot gossip?" he asked.

"I would hardly called friends sharing their concerns for someone they care about 'gossip'. And you should be grateful she did. I was about to put you on anti depressants." Janet chastised giving him a pointed look.

Daniel hung his head shamefully. Seemed it was have-a-go-at-Daniel day.

He glanced over at Leesia expecting to see the 'I told you so' expression back on her face, but found that she was still looking fearfully about the medical room.

"Can you pop up here for me." Janet asked her, patting the nearest bed.

Leesia complied but as soon as she was laid back the extent of her fear was made clear. Instantly she started thrashing and screaming in terror. Her head was forced back and her eyes round and wide.

Within a heartbeat Daniel pulled her into his chest. Surrounding her in his arms to offer her comfort, but it didn't have the effect he hoped for. She fought against him, beating her clenched fists repeatedly against his chest. Desperately trying to escape.

"Leesia, what's wrong?" he cried trying to be heard over her screaming. Her breathing was becoming deep and panicked.

She didn't seem to hear him as she continued to scream and thrash in his arms.

"It's me. It's Daniel. Leesia?" he called to her. "I'm here. Calm down."

"Get me a shot of valium over here, stat!" Janet called to one of the orderlies.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's having an anxiety attack." Janet told him. "Hold her still while I give her the shot."

He held her closely to him, regardless of the ache in his ribs, as Janet administered the injection. She trembled in his arms, but slowly she calmed as the effects started to kick in and he saw her eyes focus on him.

"Dan'el?" she said, the drug making her slur her speech very slightly. He could still see the fear suppressed behind her hooded eyes.

"I'm here. They're not going to hurt you. I promise. They're just going to run a few test and make sure you're okay. I have this done all the time." He knew that having Janet run some checks on her was just as much for Leesia's safety as it was for everyone else's. But that didn't stop him feeling responsible for her fright.

"I know that they have no wish to harm me. I do not understand why I am so fearful." Leesia said with a confused look, from within the safety of Daniel's strong arms. Her reaction to the medic had been as much a shock to her as it was to him.

Leesia drew in a slow wavering breath and pulled back from Daniel. She turned her attention to Janet. "I apologise, Doctor Frasier. You may continue."

Daniel stood along side her bed as Janet started going through all the usual tests, watching intently, concern blazon on his features and posture.

"Daniel." Leesia said, noticing his worried expression. "There is no need for you to remain with me. I will be fine and I know you much be keen to examine the artefacts."

"I can stay." he nodded.

"No." she argued. "What you do here is far too important to let me interfere with it. Go, I will be fine."

"I won't be far." he told her, giving her hand a squeeze, before leaving the infirmary. He hurried to his lab, she had been right, he was keen to examine the artefacts that General Hammond had mentioned.

He had not been studying them long when he realised the seriousness that they signified. He was reaching for the phone when the off world activation alarm sounded.

…

"I wish I didn't have to go, but there really is no one else who can do this." Daniel explained. He hated the thought of leaving her while she clearly needed him, and if lives weren't at stake he wouldn't have even considered it. He wished that he had had the foresight to teach someone to speak Unas.

He wished he had been sent with Jack and Teal'c to P3X-403, to lead the search for missing Lieutenant Ritter. He could see from the mining artefacts that had been sent back to the SGC that the planet was inhabited by Unas'. Had he been on the planet with them on the first trip he would have been able to give them some warning. Maybe he could have prevented the attack. Had he gone on the first trip maybe Jack would not be in the infirmary right now with a broken shoulder. Not that he was in any rush to share that thought with the disgruntled Colonel.

He would have time for brooding later. Scolding himself would not solve the problem, but maybe with Chaka's help he could. He believed that he could resolve the situation peacefully, that is if the military types would listen to him. Truth be told he was more worried about dealing with Colonel Edwards than he was about the tribe of Unas.

"I will be fine." She told him, clearly putting on a brave face and he realised that she was a terrible liar. "I am sorry I caused this disorder. I do not wish to be a burden. I have Colonel O'Neill to keep me company." She smiled, in a vain attempt to hid her discomfort.

Daniel eyed Jack, sitting two beds over. Jack smiled back in false innocents. _'They'll be like two peas in a pod' _Daniel thought. He pitied Janet having to deal with the both of them at the same time. One terrified to the point where she needed to be drugged and the other resisting any medical treatment in anyway possible and getting very disgruntled if he was not able to.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." he whispered to her, leaning in. She captured his face in both her hands and kissed him deeply. "I love you." He told her.

"I love you also. Be safe."

…

Samantha Carter was bored. And she was no good at being bored. As a life time work-a-holic having nothing to do made her uneasy. With Colonel O'Neill in the infirmary and Daniel and Teal'c off world dealing with a Unas problem she was at a complete lose end. Usually during downtime she would take advantage of the chance to study in her lab, there was always some 'alien dohickie' as Jack would call it, for her to run her countless tests on. But her overhaul of the gate's diagnostic system had taken president over any other research and all 'dohickies', alien or otherwise had been sent to area 51. Problem was her 'science project' had taken her a lot less time than she had assumed. Hence the boredom.

She decided to pay the Colonel a visit. He was probably as antsy as she was right now. He loathed any medical process, even the thought of a simple shot brought him out in a cold sweat. Being confined to the infirmary would be hell for him. She found it amusing that you could lock him in any Goa'uld stronghold and he still seemed completely at ease, full of good humour and sarcasm. Yet put him on a hospital bed and all sense of humour went out the window. In fact he could be downright rude.

However when she reached the infirmary, much to her surprise, she found him with a broad grin on his face.

"Carter," he greeted. "You're just in time for the show. Have you met Leesia yet?"

So this was the girl that had stolen Daniel's heart. She smiled at the unfamiliar woman. She couldn't help but be grateful for the change she had caused in her friend.

"Major Carter." Leesia returned her smile. "Daniel speaks of you fondly."

"Well, I'm fond of him too and it's Sam." she corrected. "The show, sir?" she asked, turning back to Jack.

"Yeah, show her Lees."

"She's not a performing monkey, Colonel." Janet scolded.

"Oh no, this is way better! Go ahead Lees."

Leesia looked embarrassed. Her chin dropped down to rest on her chest, but Sam could still see the flush that clearly coloured her cheeks.

The lights in the infirmary started flickering on and off in quick flashes and slightly longer pulses.

"Cool huh?" Sam heard Jack's voice.

"Is that Morse code?"

"Sure is. I taught her." he told her sounding very proud of himself.

Sam studied the flashing lights. Two dashes followed by a dot - G. dot - E. dash - T. "Get." she said quietly.

Leesia and Jack beamed at each other and the lights started up again. Two dots and a dash, pause, and another three flashes in rapid sequence. "Get us." Sam nodded her understanding.

A couple of minutes later and Jack's full message of 'get us the hell out of here.' was delivered to the grinning major, with Leesia adding a 'please' at the end for good measure.

"I think I'm going to like you." Sam smiled warmly at the former Ancient.

"Oh yeah, she's a keeper." Jack added, causing Leesia's shy blush to deepen.

"I do know Morse code." Janet said, her expression scolding as she walked back into the infirmary laded down with an armful of files.

"D'oh." Jack sighed under his breath.

…

The whole time Daniel had been away he couldn't stop thinking about her. Any chance he had his mind wondered back to her. Especially during Chaka's chanting round the camp fire when it was so quiet.

He had grown impatient while waiting, hating to be parted from Leesia and a little worried about her. But when he asked Chaka how long it was going to take, he was told quite forcefully "Nok, Ka nok." Daniel puzzled over what Chaka meant by 'now, not now'. Or 'later', for a second, before concluding "It'll take as long as it takes." He sighed, and settled down on his side, once again letting his thoughts drift back to Leesia.

He felt awful not being there with her, even though he knew she was safe. Sam and Jack were still on base and he knew that they would watch over her for his sake, but he wished it was him. Her reaction to being in the infirmary was so severe and he found it unsettling. Not because she had had the reaction but really why should would have that reaction in the first place. Panic attacks like that where usually caused by a deep-seeded trauma but what could have happened to an ascended being to cause them to fear a physical examination?

As soon as he was back he headed straight for the infirmary.

"Whoa, whoa." Janet halted Daniel as he tried to dash through the doors. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"What is it? Is she okay?" Daniel asked panicked but allowed himself to be lead down the corridor into Janet's office.

"In a manor of speaking, but there's a couple of things I found that have concerned me." Janet took a deep breath before she continued. "She has accelerated brain activity. You see in a normal human we only use ten percent of our brain, Leesia is using over thirty. We managed to run a few test while you were gone, and it would appear that her brain is acting in much the same way as Cassey did when she got her telekinetic ability."

"That almost killed her." Daniel fretted.

"Leesia's seems to be stable. I run a number of checks and the results were the same each time, there was no increase. I would guess she's in no danger, but I'd keep a check on her for a while to be sure."

"You're telling me, Leesia's telekinetic?"

"No. Not telekinetic. Long story short, she's able to control different technologies mentally."

Daniel was stunned, but he remembered her freeing him from his cell on Anubis's ship. There had been no flashes of light or any other way he'd remembered the Ancient powers working. _But if her ability wasn't left over from when she was an Ancient how had she got it?_

"I know it's a lot to take in." Janet said. "She was a little shocked herself. But once she got used to the idea she was rather excited about it. In fact both her and Sam where. They've been together since, in Sam's lab. No doubt they'd have found some interesting results by now."

"You said there were a couple, what's the other."

Janet looked uneasy. "Yes…urm…you might want to sit down."

"Janet, you're making me nervous, just say it."

"She's pregnant, Daniel…two months."

Daniel's face screwed up into a frown and his mouth fell open. "That's not possible." he gulped.

* * *

><p>A.N ~ I know, another cliff-hanger, sorry hehe.<p>

I just want to say a big thank you for everyone who reviewed this story. Your words encouraged me, without them this chapter would have taken much longer to get posted.


	7. Chapter 6 Firsts, Backwards

**Chapter Six - Firsts, Backwards.**

Daniel headed for Sam's lab, with wide purposeful strides.

He didn't know what to think. Nothing made sense. They had made love for the first time only two nights ago and now she was two months pregnant! It wasn't possible. She had been a virgin, he knew that for a fact! Seen it in her face _'Or had I?... Could I be wrong about that?' _She was pregnant, so that was impossible. '_Two months! Virgin? How? She hadn't been here two months ago…hell, she wasn't even human two months ago…Unless she had…lied…But why?' _The thoughts tornadoed round his mind, while bitter rage twisted his stomach. Obviously she was lying. He felt so foolish. He had trusted her, opened his heart to her, and now he was going to pay the price for his lack of caution.

Which ever way he looked at it, it didn't add up. He needed answers. And he needed them now! He quickened his pace.

Just as Janet had supposed he found her in Sam's lab. The girls were experimenting with Leesia's ability. The lab lights flickered and Sam was reading the power fluctuation with a look of complete wonder on her face, while Leesia bashfully smiled, clearly embarrassed by the attention the Major was giving her. It was a sweet scene to walk in on and under normal circumstances he would have been grateful to see these two working together, clearly enjoying each others company and getting on well, but now he found it to be a betrayal.

"Sorry Sam, but would you mind giving us a minute?" he asked politely, forcing the anger to stay hidden from his voice.

"Of course." Sam nodded showing her understanding and gave his arm a comforting squeeze before she left her lab, closing the door behind her.

He kept his eyes on the floor as he spoke. "Janet told me…about the baby." Now they were alone he was unable to keep the hurt from his voice.

"And that has displeased you?" she asked with a curious tone.

He ignored the question. It was a stupid one. Of course it had 'displeased' him. He huffed out a humourless laugh and shock his head. "You said it was your first time."

"It was." She frowned, confused. Stepping up to him and staring up into his face.

He met her look and glared back. "Oh, please! She told me it's two months. Who's child is it?" He didn't know why that information was important to him, it was highly unlikely that he would know the father of the child that was growing inside the body of the woman he loved. No, the woman who had deceived him.

She frowned at him. Her hand instinctively hovering over her stomach, as if she could protect it from the harshness of his tone. "It is yours…Wha, what are you implying?"

"Oh don't give me that! Who's is it!" he shouted, waving his arms in desperation.

"I've already told you, the child is yours." She tried to hide the crack in her voice, unsuccessfully, but she couldn't stop the tears that started to spill down her cheeks. "What would give you cause to believe that I would deceive you?"

"It's not possible." he said matter-of-factly, he wanted to shout, but her tears were weakening his anger. He fought to grip hold of it, while fighting off the urge to wrap his arms around her and brush away her tears.

"Woman other than me have gotten pregnant before they had intercourse. I read about them in the stories in your house."

"So what are you're saying? You're the virgin Mary?" he said, his tone heavy with disbelief and sarcasm. He couldn't believe the length that she was going to, to cover this deceit.

"No. I am saying that for an ascended being to father a child does not included penetration."

He froze, frowned. "What?"

"Daniel, I understand that this must be very confusing, but please, I beg you, believe me." her tone was gently, soothing. "I have not and could never lie to you, or hurt you in anyway…I wish you could remember."

It took a while for what she was saying to make it through the confusion in his mind. The fire of his anger drowned by her gently tears and comforting words. It wasn't possible, his mind still insisted, but his gut screamed at him to believe her and his heart told him that she would not lie. _'If what she's saying is true… then that must mean…'_

"We were together when I was ascended?" he blurted out, his eyes boring into her.

"Yes." she nodded, refusing to break away from his intense gaze.

"And that's when you got pregnant?"

"Yes." she said again, a brief smile pulling on her lips.

"So it really is mine?"

Her smile widened and she nodded again.

"You're having my baby!" a huge grin broke across his face. He gave a short almost hysterical laugh and then his eyes unfocused, "Oh my god, you're having my baby." he automatically threw his arms out to steady himself as his legs gave way.

She grabbed hold of him and guided him back to the wall so he could lower himself down gently to the floor.

"Breath love." She told him, but she couldn't help smiling.

"I'm okay. Just…shocked." He put his head between his knees and got control of his breathing.

"I know. You reacted the same way the first time you found out."

"I did?" he asked.

She smiled with a nod. "Actually we both did. It was a shock for me also."

"Why didn't you tell me? I can understand you not telling me that we were together and trying to let me remember on my own, but this…surely I had a right to know"

She avoided his gaze and when she answered him her voice was heavy with remorse. "I did not wish to inform you until I was confident that I was still carrying your child. Very few Ancients have returned to their former lives, whether through punishment or through choice and none of them were expecting a child at the time. There was no way of knowing how my returning to my human form would effect my pregnancy."

"B-but you're okay, an-and the baby?" he stammered, suddenly realising that he had dashed away to find her without getting any details from Janet.

She smiled and nodded, touched by the concern. "Your Doctor Frasier done many, _many_ tests and confirmed that your child and I are both healthy."

Daniel gave a quiet sigh of relief. He met her smiling eyes briefly with his own. Hesitantly he reached his hand towards her abdomen.

She hid a giggle at his uncertainty and pushed his hand against her stomach with her own. "Daniel Jackson you are to be a father."

'_A father_' her words repeated through his mind as he grazed his palm over her still flat abdomen. A father. He was going to be a father. It still seemed impossible. Improbable. Circumstances were moving so fast they made his head spin. Beneath this skin was his child. His. Child. She hadn't lied or betrayed him. She had only kept the truth from him to protect him and now he knew.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when the door hissed open.

"Daniel you dog, you never said she was a stunner." Jack smiled and winked at the former Ancient.

"Jack."

"Everything okay?" the Colonel asked watching as the couple got back up to their feet.

"Have I ever told you your timing is impeccable?" Daniel asked, dusting down his BDU pants.

Jack shrugged. "Once or twice. Congratulations by the way."

Daniel turned to his best friend, stunned. "You knew?"

"Course. I was there when she found out. Don't waste time do you Danny-boy?" Jack said, clapping him on the shoulder. "What are you two still doing here anyway? Thought that you would be taking advantage of your downtime and taking this little lady out."

"Don't worry Jack I intend to." Daniel said. He turned to Leesia. "I guess if you're having my baby I should at least take you on a date." he smiled at the absurdness of his own statement, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"A date?" she questioned.

"Uh it means a romantic engagement."

She smiled. "Oh, well then I would be delighted to go on a date with you."

"Hammond said to take some personal time if you wanted. Actually he said something about owing you about four months worth of days off, but I think he was joking."

"Kinda a 'don't call us we'll call you' kind of thing?" Daniel asked shaking his head.

"Something like that. I don't have to remind you about confidentiality do I?" Jack asked slightly hesitantly.

Daniel smiled. "You don't have to worry about this one Jack, clearly she knows how to keep a secret."

…

'_I'm doing this all backwards: I knock her up, then I take her virginity and now I take her out for our first date'. _he sighed. '_It should have been the other way around and with a lot more steps in between_.'

He had decided to take her to O'Malleys. It wasn't as romantic as he would have wanted for their first date, but he would need a reservation everywhere else. He only hoped that the staff wouldn't recognize him. He doubted they would. It had been over three years ago, he had changed since then and thanks to the alien wristband device he had been wearing under his sweater he hadn't needed his glasses at the time.

Leesia sat across the table, smiling with a mischievous grin that made him wonder if she had guessed what he was thinking.

"Something amusing?" he asked.

Her grin widened. "You're expression is very…familiar to me. Your mind is always so busy, even when it is time for you to relax it will not cease. Tell me what is weighing your thoughts?"

"I guess I'm having difficulty understanding how the baby was conceived when we were ascended. I mean we didn't have physical bodies."

"Questioning a blessing can be dangerous, Daniel."

"And ignorance can be bliss, but that doesn't mean that we should stop seeking answers."

She smiled warmly at him. "That is true in most cases. However, I believe that this is not one of those times. Oma removed your memories for your own protection. The human mind is just not capable of holding so much information."

"Then how do you remember?" he asked.

Her head dropped.

"Leesia?"

"I don't. I can only remember approximately the last year of my life. I had to give up a bulk of my knowledge and memories to take this form. I opted to eradicate everything I knew before I met you."

He leaned forward and took hold of her hand. "I'm sorry you had to do that."

"I am not." she said sincerely, giving his hand a comforting squeeze. "It was my choice, Daniel…Before I knew you I only existed, my life really began when I met you anyway. It is no hardship to lose the map when you already have found the treasure."

Daniel blushed at the flattery. "I'd still like to know how this is possible."

Her eyes light up with her smile. "You never could be swayed. So stubborn."

"You're not going to tell me are you?"

"Do not think that I do not wish to. It is just complex to explain."

"Please try."

She thought about it for a while. He tried to be patient, but the curiosity was killing him. His foot was tapping impatiently, his finger constantly fiddling with everything they came into contact with.

Finally she spoke. "The simplest way I can explain it is that it is the same as human conception only with energy instead of cells."

"Well that doesn't sound so complicated."

"I am merely easing you into it. As there is no tangible molecules for interaction, obviously I am using the term 'energy' loosely, for the lack of a precise word for it. It is not utterly accurate, but it will have to suffice. Also because it has not happened to another Ascended couple for as long as anyone can remember, any knowledge is only speculation."

Daniel nodded. "Okay." he said drawing the word out.

"Unlike most energies that of the ascended do not transfer into other forms. They can merge with other beings or be release, but our energy is part of who we are and while we can see, or more accurately, feel theses energies from others they do not become part of our makeup. Now while it is theoretically possible for these energies to impregnate a human or a being with a physical presence for that to occur with another ascended is an impossibility."

"So how did it happen for us?"

"The presumption was that how you died effected the way your energies where transferred when you joined that of the Ascended."

"My radiation poisoning made me…fertile?" he asked his tone heavy with uncertainty.

She nodded. "That was the belief."

"That seems a bit of a leap. Who came up with that theory?"

She giggled out loud. It was a beautiful sound like the tinkling of wind chimes in a soft summer breeze. "You did." she told him.

He laughed. "I guess I should have seen that coming."

"And normally you would have, but I imagine that this is a lot to take in."

"Ya think?" he smiled. Even with her description it still seemed impossible to him. He was going to be a father. A father of a child conceived through immaculate conception on another plane of existence. "So does this mean that the baby is an Ancient?" he suddenly asked, startled that the thought had only just occurred to him.

"That would have been a fair assumption, but the scan has confirmed otherwise."

"I missed the scan?"

She immediately saw the disappointment flare in his blue eyes. "Your Doctor Frasier informed me that there will be at least one other."

"So it must have taken human form when you did." he speculated.

She slowly shock her head. "I do not believe so. That is something I could not do alone. It needed your energies to give it life, as such it would also require your cells to give it a physical form."

"Is that why you were so insistent that we made love?"

"Yes, but not the only reason. I was fascinated by how similar, yet diverse the sensations were."

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of their food. Daniel had ordered for them both, choosing a wide selection of dishes so they could discover what pleased her pallet.

He found out that she did not share his sweet tooth during desert. He had loaded his fork with a sample of the chocolate cake, but when she had tasted it her face had twisted into a look of disgust and he had chuckled at her expression.

"You know most women adore chocolate." He smiled teasingly and took a big swing of his coffee.

"Clearly I am not most women then."

"True." he laughed. He stood and offered her his hand. "Come on, let's go home."

…

He had barely closed the door behind them when her lips locked onto his.

"What was that for?" he asked, blinking with a shy smile.

"To thank you. For tonight."

"I think it should be me thanking you." he said.

Her head tilted in her usual questioning manner. It was fast becoming one of his favourite of her expressions, tied in first place with that mischievous grin that made her eyes dance with fire.

"You gave up everything for me," he said. "when I can't even remember us. I can't begin to imagine how frightening that must be. Having to deal with everything alone, feeling like you have to keep it all to yourself."

There was that grin. "Are you hinting for information?"

"Subtle huh?" he half smiled. "Just tell me something, anything."

"I cannot." she said firmly. "I have to believe that you will remember by yourself. I feel that telling you would be a betrayal in my faith in you, in us."

"I feel like I'm letting you down by not remembering. I'm sorry. I am trying."

She cradled both his cheeks. Her eyes were firm, emphasising the weight of her words. "I know. Maybe you are trying to hard. Relax. The memories are there. They will come in time and you do not have apologise. You are not at fault. Besides, I find it very flattering that you fell in love with me not once but twice."

That made him smile. "That's a nice way to view it."

"There is no other way to view it." she said softly. "You are an amazing man Daniel Jackson. Even with no memories to go by you had the strength to follow your heart. Thank you" She rose up on her toes so she could press a kiss on his lips.

"You make it sound like it was a hard thing to do…it wasn't. Everything was so confusing at the time, I wasn't even sure I knew who I was, but somehow…I knew you."

She smiled so wide. "That is enough talking. I wish to retire?"

"Tired?"

"No." she giggled excitably and ran off, heading to the bedroom.

He laughed out loud and followed. His life had changed so much in the last few days. Changed for the better. He thanked his lucky stars for allowing her to return to him.

"That's familiar." he chuckled as he entered the bedroom and took in the sight of her. The little minx had stripped off everything she had been warring and was curled on the bed the same way she had been on their first night. The only difference being the look of innocent tranquillity she had had was replaced with one of need and passion.

"I hope you will not be so hesitant this time."

"You don't need to worry about that." he said, stretching out along side her. Pulling her close, he kissed her softly and then more urgently. Her little fingers teasing open his shirt so she could caress his firm chest, sending tingles straight to his heart.

"I love you." he whispered against her skin as he moved his mouth down her neck. Her breath caught in her throat as he sucked gently on the soft skin.

"I love you also." she sighed in pleasure. As she spoke her fingers wondered over his willing flesh, leaving a scorching trail in their wake and causing a warm shiver to course up his spine and his mouth wet dry.

Suddenly the room fell into pitch blackness.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, peppering her shoulders with light kisses. "I think we had a power cut."

"No, I believe was me." she said, sounding embarrassed and slightly breathless.

He smiled against the sweet warmth of her skin. This woman was definitely going to boost his ego. He smiled as his lips once again claimed hers for his own.

* * *

><p>A.N ~ Sorry this chapter took so long, there was a lot of editing needed. But I would like to thank the reviewer for their kind words<p>

P.s Dont forget to check out the new trailer on you tube, link on profile.


	8. Chapter 7 Heaven to Hell and Back Again

WARNING ~ Spoilers for Evolution part 1&2.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven ~ Heaven to Hell and Back Again.<strong>

They say 'time flies when you're having fun' and for Daniel he found that couldn't be more true. He had forgotten how much bliss you can find sharing your life with someone you love and who loves you back. Waking up each morning either snuggled up to her or with the aroma of his favourite coffee she was brewing wafting through the house brought a smile to his face, and with each loving look, touch and kiss from her throughout the day insured that it stayed.

At the start of the second week he was awoken by arousing tingles tickling over and into his stomach. His smile got a head start, it was a hell of a way to wake up.

"Morning." he said pushing her hair, that was fanned out over his chest, behind her shoulder so he could see her face.

She lifted her lips from his skin just long enough to return his greeting. "Afternoon." she corrected, before continuing her exploration of his naked flesh.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up at him threw her long lashes and he saw the mischievous lust swim in her deep brown pools. "I assume that is obvious."

He pulled her to him for a kiss. Her sweet giggle tinkle in the air.

The couple were interrupted by a loud banging at the front door. "We know you're in there." Jack's voice echoed through the house.

He dropped his forehead onto her shoulder and groaned in frustration. "His timing isn't getting any better."

"It may be important."

"Better be." Daniel griped. "To be continued." he kissed her lips and slid off the bed, fishing his jeans off the floor.

"Thirty seconds, Daniel and I'm letting us in myself."

He fumbled his zipper up as he dashed out of the bedroom to find his team mates already in the hallway. "Hey, that wasn't thirty seconds!"

"No? Weird." Jack said tonelessly, as he took in Daniel dishevelled appearance. "This is a new look for you." His dark blonde hair was sticking up in every possible direction. That was something the others were used to seeing on him, but it was normally accompanied by dark rings under his eyes and a look of frustration, usually caused by no sleep while working on a difficult translation or stressing about something he couldn't change. However, now it was joined by a look of complete…there was no other word for it…bliss.

The reason for his happiness emerged from the bedroom behind him, warring one of his white shirts, a contented smile and little else.

"Uh pants?" Daniel suggested.

"I figured it would be futile as you would be taking them off me the second we were once again alone."

Daniel spun her back round to face the bedroom and gave her a gently shove to the door. "Pants." he repeated.

"She's not from Earth." Daniel explained to his friends, with a shrug.

"Neither's Teal'c." Jack said jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the Jaffa. "Hence why we're here."

Daniel frowned. "What?"

It was Teal'c that answered. "When I first arrived on your planet I found it to be a very strange place. Without all of your assistance it would have been difficult to adapt. We're here to help with Leesia's transition into the Tau'ri way of life."

"Well, that's very thoughtfully of you…I suppose, but it's not necessary. I got this, thanks." Daniel tried, but Jack was having none of it.

"Oh no, if she learns everything from you we're just gonna end up with another ge-" Jack paused, catching himself just in time. "We're making sure she gets a more…well rounded education. After all, many hands make light work."

"Too many cooks spoil the broth." Daniel countered. "There's nothing she can learn from you guys that she can't learn from me."

"Daniel, she's been here a week and she hasn't even learnt that she has to put on pants. Case closed." Jack said and strode passed him through to the living room.

Daniel followed still arguing. "She's only been human a week, physical objects all still seem a bit pointless to her." Daniel continued as Leesia remerged, now fully clothed. "Will you please tell them that I am teaching you."

"Oh yes. I have learnt many things from Daniel. He is a proficient teacher. Just before you arrived he was about to teach me how to give him-"

Daniel saw where her sentence was going and quickly cut off by covering her mouth with his hand. There was no way he wanted the others to know the end of that sentence, although judging by their raised eyebrows and wide eyes they had guessed. "Remember what I told you after the restaurant?" he whispered to her.

"But we are at home." she insisted, looking confused.

"When we're at home,_ alone._"

She pouted, her arm folded across her chest. "You really need to be more specific."

"Okay fine," Daniel related turning to his friends. "I need help."

"Finally." Jack moaned, "What is it with you? You always have to do things the hard way."

"Daniel?" Sam called from the kitchen. "Do you know your refrigerator isn't working?"

"I am afraid that was me." Leesia informed the Major. "I find it most difficult to control my abilities when-" she caught Daniel's pleading look. "-When I am distracted." she finished.

"Distracted huh?" Jack mused. "Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?"

Daniel felt his cheeks burn. He dropped his chin to rest on his chest, it was going to be a long day.

…

"That should do it." Sam said as she screwed the cover back over Daniel's fuse box. "Now, I'm not saying that it will protect all of your appliances individually, but it should stop her taken out the whole house in one go."

Daniel smiled. "Maybe we should get them installed in the neighbours as well. Think they might start to get suspicious when they have daily power cuts."

"Never thought I'd be installing copper linings on your neighbours power boxes to protect them from your girlfriends E.M pulses."

That made Daniel laugh. "Remember when things were normal?"

Sam shock her head. "Nope." she said, popping the P and smiling broadly, "In the grand scheme of things, this probably is one of the most normal things that has happened to one of us. You know, settling down and having a kid."

"By immaculate conception with someone from another planet." Daniel countered.

"Yep, perfectly normal…for us."

"For us." Daniel agreed with a thoughtful nod. She had a very good point. After all, the last person he'd been intimate with was Kegan and thanks to a memory stamp he hadn't even been himself at the time. Ke'ra, before that hadn't been herself because of the self-induced, accidental amnesia. Shyla had gotten him addicted to the sarcophagus and Sam's romantic interests had been even more disastrous than his own. By comparison a former Ascended being was 'normal', especially considering that he was one himself.

"It good to see you so happy." Sam interrupted his thoughts. "You deserve it."

"I keep expecting to wake up." he admitted. "Like it's all been a dream and she never came back."

Sam leaned over and pinched him on the arm, hard.

"Ow." he moaned.

"Proof enough for you?"

"I know I'm not actually dreaming. It's the not remembering that makes it seem like it's too good to be true. Having no memory of another life is one thing, but to know that I was having this relationship with her and not remember it…I'm dying to know."

"Not literally I hope." Sam teased. "So she's still keeping quiet?"

Daniel nodded. "She insists that the memories are there and I have to remember them for myself."

"She'll cave in eventually. As hard as it is for you not knowing, it must be just as hard for her to keep it to herself."

"Lucy I'm home." Jack's voice and the slam of the front door announced his and Leesia's return. "Time check?"

"You've been gone for one hour 43 minutes, O'Neill." Teal'c informed him.

"Yes!" Jack said punching the air. "I win. Come on, pay up." he said wiggling his fingers at Daniel.

Jack had taken Leesia out to teach her to drive, insisting that it was his turn as Daniel had taught Teal'c and Sam had taught Jonas.

"I cannot believe you bet against me." Leesia said pouting at Daniel with her hand on her hips.

Daniel merely smiled knowingly. "Uh, actually Jack, you've taken longer. So I win."

Jack checked his watch, giving it a hard tap. "One forty-three." he confirmed.

"The terms of our wager, which you set by the way, was the time it took from them first getting behind the wheel to when they're first able to drive unaided. As Teal'c lessons concluded in 1969 it's taken you 27 years longer to teach Leesia."

"Technically he has a point, sir." Sam smiled.

"Oy." Jack sighed reaching for his wallet. When the 'Science Twins' agreed there was no point in arguing. "Remind me to never bet with you again." he said slapping the fifty into Daniel's awaiting hand.

…

Two weeks later, and all too soon for Daniel, he received the phone call that he knew was coming.

"Yes, sir, I understand." Daniel placed the phone back in it's cradle and rolled onto his back turning towards Leesia. He looked at her a little sadly, as she tucked herself under his arm, her fingers tickled across his bare chest.

"Mission?" she asked him.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm needed on base." he tightened his arms around her. "We knew that this wouldn't be permanent. I've missed the last two off world trips."

"I know. I just wish I was able to be selfish and keep you all to myself all the time." she leaned into him and kissed him gently.

"The last few weeks have been amazing." he agreed.

She chuckled. "All the wonders you have witnessed and you find three weeks in bed amazing?"

"With you I do." He sighed "All good things must come to an end I guess."

"We will make more times just like this one."

"Promise?"

"I promise." she kissed him again. "When do we have to go?"

"Uh, about now-ish. You should probably pack some stuff in case you have to stay on base."

She did has he suggested as he dashed around the house gathering everything he thought he may need.

"I assume there is not much hope of being able to go with you if you are required to go off world." she asked as he took her bag from her and loaded it into his jeep and the couple climbed inside.

"None whatsoever." he confirmed, truth was even if by some fluke Hammond would allow her to join them Daniel wouldn't allow it anyway. There was just to many dangers out there that he was not prepared to subject her or his child to.

She pouted and was still pouting when they arrived at Cheyenne Mountain. _'And she accuses me of being stubborn.'_

"I could use your help though. I shudder to think how much the back log of translations has grown during the last few weeks. If you could reduce the Ancient pieces it would be a big help."

She brightened considerably at this.

When he left her in his office she was already pawing through the artefacts and browsing his notes with a smile on her face.

A little while later he was back. He went straight for the book shelve and started searching.

"How's it going?" he asked her without halting his search.

"Not well." she answered honestly. "I am afraid I do not understand the system you use to organise your research."

He took down the note book he had been searching for and turned to her. "Oh it's quite simple really it's uh…" he looked around wondering where to start. "…Okay no it's not." he finally admitted.

She giggled at his perplexed expression as he tried to decide how best to explain it to her. "Uh, okay, eye line is most used material. Here, here and here." he pointed out the areas he was referring to as he spoke. "is urgent. Anything on the bottom shelf is in need of more information to complete the translation. Alien languages are along all three middle shelves in order of when I met them and crossed referenced and intersected by the most similar Earth language. Rituals, ceremonies and belief systems is on the next one down on this shelve lords, leaders and Gods on the other two. You'll find my diaries, one for each of the planets, in the last two filing cabinets. Top draw and desk is current translations. Everything on top of the shelves needs to be tagged, catalogued or possibly taken back."

"And this shelf?" she questioned pointing out the one the opposite side of his desk.

"Personal favourites." he admitted.

She stared at him, her eyes wide. "How is anyone else intended to follow that system?"

"I'm sure you'll get used to it…Jonas did."

"Then Jonas is a more exceptional man than he had been given credit for."

He kissed her cheek before he left calling, "Don't change anything around!" over his shoulder as he headed down the corridor.

He was back less than an hour later, finding her hunched over his desk her fingers lightly grazing over his notes. "Any luck?" he asked.

She slowly turned to face him and frowned at him disapprovingly. Pointedly she folded her arms across her chest, keeping up the glare. She didn't answer.

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep back the laugh that was fighting to break free, not wanting her to know how adorable he found her when she was angry. "Maybe we can work out an easier system when I get back." he said. "Listen, I've got to go to Honduras and I don't know how long it'll take, but I'll have my cell with me so I'll call you."

"Will it be dangerous?" she asked.

"No, no not at all. Find the temple, hunt down the Ancient device. I'm looking forward to it actually. See, the research was started years ago by my Grandfather. It feels good that I'm the one that gets to conclude his work."

She stood and traced her fingers along his broad smile. "I am happy for you, but I shall miss you while you are gone."

"I shouldn't be gone too long. Probably just enough time for you to read though this lot." he laughed gesturing around his office.

He dropped to his knee in front of her, lifted her pale blue vest and pressed a slow, gently kiss on the small mound that had begun to form below her navel. The thought that his child was growing in there still amazed him. Leesia's wind-chime giggle danced through the air as he graced his hand over her abdomen, tickling her.

"I Love you." he said, raising his head and finding her gazing down at him tenderly.

She teased his hair through her fingers. "I love you also."

He smiled with the warmth of her words taking him back to every loving time she had said them before. Those four little words capable of making his heart swell to a phenomenal size, '_I love you also_.' so uniquely Leesia. He adored it.

…

The flight was pleasant. The meal was not, but such was always the case with airlines. Bill was fidgety and excited the entire time, which Daniel understood, after all it was the scientist first field assignment. And a perfect one to start him on, no self-proclaimed Gods, or rapidly multiplying mechanical bugs to worry about. Just recovering the alien device and bring it home. It had been too long since he got back to his roots and the archaeologist in him was itching to get started and slightly hoping it would be a challenge. Too simple and he would feel cheated.

If he had known just what was to come he would have prayed otherwise.

First chance he got after they landed he called the SGC and punched in the extension number for his own office.

The ringing was answered by silk. "This is Daniel Jackson's office."

"And this is Daniel Jackson." he chuckled. In his minds eye he could see the pouting smile she wore every time he lovingly teased her. The expression fought the 'confused puppy' and won its position as third in his list of his top ten favourites of her expressions, beaten only by the 'eyes lighted up smile' and the 'I'm about to slip back in to Ancient'. "We just landed. How's things going back there?"

"They are moving more rapidly now I have gained assess to your laptop. Your files are more decipherable than the organisation system in your office, as such I am making far more progress."

"That's good. Wait, how did you do that without my password?"

"It said enter password, so I entered password." she told him simply, as if the answer was obvious.

He sighed. Of course 'Tessentra', the Ancient meaning of 'password' was not as safe as it once was now he was not the only one on the planet that knew the language. The thought made him smile. He was not the only one. He was not alone anymore.

…

Jack hated giving out bad news at the best of times, but giving bad news to a pregnant woman seemed more dangerous than most of their missions. The phrase 'don't shoot the messenger' ran briefly through his mind, though he doubted an ex-Ancient would have heard the saying before. He hesitantly tapped on the door of the quarters she had been assigned while Daniel was away, and waited a few seconds before he heard a muffed "It is open." resound from inside.

It was dim inside the featureless grey quarters, the only source of light was the small lamp on the near bedside cabinet. Leesia was sitting up on the large bed, warring a tan and cream checked shirt that he recognized as one of Daniel's, when he entered. "Oh, sorry. Where you sleeping?"

"No… I now find it difficult to sleep without him." she confessed a little shyly.

Wow, she wasn't going to make this easy. "We've just got word." Jack said slowly, wishing he wasn't the one to have to tell her this. He took a deep breath and bit the bullet. "…He's been kidnapped."

A look of utter horror dawn on her face. She gazed up at him with wide doleful eyes, full of alarm.

'_Oh, don't do this to me. I'm no good at doing the comforting thing.' _"Try to not get yourself worked up, it's not good in your condition." he said, crossing the room, planting himself next to her and giving her shoulder a light squeeze, trying to be reassuring.

"I believe that would be an impossibility in this situation." she said the panic causing a slight waver to her voice.

"Listen, he's been in far worse situations than this and he's always come out of it just fine. This'll be nothing for him, a walk in the park for him, piece of cake. Certainly nothing to worry about."

"You are not worried?" Leesia questioned him.

"Nope." Jack lied easily. "I learnt long ago it was completely pointless to worry about that man. Even when ya think the situation is completely hopeless he finds a way out."

There was no point in telling her that the rebels that had abducted Daniel and Dr Lee were most likely torturing him at this precise moment. Or that they had seventy-two hours to get them out or they would be killed. Or that an extraction team was Daniel's only hope, as the ransom was never going to be paid.

"I pray that you are correct, Jack. It is crucial that I do not lose him. Not again." Her hand covered her stomach as the tears started.

"Hey, that's not gonna happen. He can get out of this no sweat, but we're gonna give him some back up anyway. Soon as I get the word I'm going. I'll bring him back. I promise."

…

'_He's been in far worse situations than this and he's always come out of it just fine.' _Leesia clung onto Jack's words like a life belt, barely keeping her head above the sea of rising panic and fear.

It had been three days. Three long days since his phone call saying he was safe. Three tediously long days punctuated only by longer sleepless nights on the base.

Jack had left the day before to bring him back, but so far she had received no news.

The sharp ring of the phone startled her. She hesitated taking a deep breath, unsure whether she was ready to hear whatever news was coming. Everyone at the SGC knew that Daniel had been kidnapped and they were the only ones with this number, so information regarding him was the only reason for anyone to call. The question was, was it good news or bad news that they were calling to give her.

With a shaking hand and her heart hammering she lifted the phone and placed it to her ear. "This is Daniel Jackson's office." she said timidly into the mouth piece.

"Hey." she could hear the smile in his voice.

She let out a long pent up sigh of relief "Oh thank the stars, it is so good to hear your voice."

"Yeah, you too. Are you okay?"

"It is unnecessary to worry about me, Daniel."

"Can't help it." he confessed.

"Are you well? Did they hurt you?"

He hesitated. "I've been better." he told her trying to sound light-hearted. He wanted to answer as honestly as possible without worrying her, but truth be told he felt terrible.

His bound right thigh, that still housed the bullet, was throbbing painfully. He had been shot before but by Zat's or other stun weapons and even a couple of times by a staff, but he had never been shot with a bullet before and it felt a hell of a lot worse. Due to nothing to eat and very little to drink in the last three days he felt nauseous and the dizziness and head ache was content. And his burns…he didn't even want to think about those.

She saw through his charade. "Daniel?" she questioned and he could hear the panic rise in her voice.

"I'm fine." he quickly replied.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Daniel." Leesia heard Jack's voice in the background. "Just tell her."

"Jack." Daniel's voice was muffled and distant. "There's no point in panicking her."

"I am still able to hear you." Leesia said.

Evidently they couldn't hear her though. "She's already panicked, and that's only gonna be worse if you tell her everything's fine and then you get rushed straight to surgery the second you get back. What's she gonna think then huh?"

"Surgery? Daniel, please explain to me what is happening."

Daniel sighed irritably and bestowed Jack with one of his cantankerous glares. "I'm going to be fine…but I've been shot." he finally told her.

…

Daniel's conscience, if some what groggy, thoughts flittered slowly though to the front of his mind. He refused to open his eyes, paranoid that when he did he would see _that_ hut, that was his prison cell and that he had dreamt his escape and Jack's rescue of Bill Lee and himself. He tested his surroundings. The air tasted pleasantly cool. Not the sweaty, dusty humidity that he had grown accustom to. _'An A.C?…The SGC?' _A light smell of antiseptic. '_The infirmary?_' The surface he was lying on was soft and spongy, not the compacted earth and straw matting. More importantly, no pain. It seemed to good to be true, but he couldn't put off finding out forever.

Slowly he blinked open his heavy eyes.

The familiar, clinical gray wall met his grateful sight. '_Wasn't a dream... It's over.'_

"Hey, Sleepyhead." Jack greeted in little more than a whisper, seeing that his friend was once again in the land of the living. "Don't wake her. From what I gather this is the longest she's slept since you were taken."

Daniel turned his hazy sight to the side and found Leesia curled up fast asleep on a chair beside him, her head resting on her forearm on the mattress, her other arm draped cross him with her tiny fingers twined with his.

"How long has she been here?"

"As long as you have." Jack told him.

Daniel was surprised. "She came into the infirmary willingly?"

"Armed guards couldn't keep her out." Jack told him.

Daniel felt his heart swell with emotion. Marvelling at how much love she had for him. She had braved her deepest fear to be by his side.

She couldn't be comfortable. She must have been completely exhausted to fall asleep here. "I should take her home."

"Frasier's got some hoops for you to jump through first. How ya feeling?"

"Woozy." Daniel told him with a slight slur to his voice. "But, actually good."

"Yeah, well, that's morphine for ya."

"That's what this this is?" Daniel eyed the double drip attached to the back of his hand. "It's nice…" he said with a smile. "How's Bill doing?"

"Same as you, just not as…high." Jack said, managing to get a small chuckle from Daniel, before the archaeologist's eyes glassed over as the memory of the previous few days filter through to his current thoughts.

"You okay?" Jack asked, noticing Daniel shift.

"No." Daniel answered honestly, "But I will be…" he said giving Leesia's hand a light squeeze. "You know, I thought about quitting…before. Leaving SG-1, maybe staying on as a consultant or something, but no more missions. I just kept thinking that if anything were to happen to me…" he sighed. "I couldn't leave her to raise our baby alone, on a planet that's alien to her."

"She wouldn't be alone," Jack interrupted. "and you'd miss the action."

"Oh yeah, unsociable hours, constant peril, what's not to miss?…But I had a lot of time to think… and I realised that this could have happened even if I never joined SG-1 and it probably would have, it _was_ Nick's research that I used. The monsters, the risks, aren't just through the 'gate, Jack. Those guys weren't some Goa'uld who'd had their souls mutilated by years of misuse of the sarcophagus. They were human."

"Barely." Jack said clapping his bedridden friend on the shoulder. "You did real good, Danny."

"Jack?" Daniel raised his eyes pointedly at the Colonel. "Thank you." he said with a nod.

Jack gave a small, almost embarrassed smile. "It's what we do, Daniel."

…

Leesia took the pillow from the top of the bed and folded it in half. Gently she lifted Daniel's wounded leg and tucked the pillow under his knee, supporting the weight to keep the pressure off the back of his thigh. "How does that feel?"

"Yeah, that's fine." he said with a wince as the gently movement tugged at the bullet wound.

It felt good to be home, in his own bed. It had been less than a week since he last slept here, but it felt like much, much longer. He didn't think he had ever been more grateful to see these four walls, this bed, these pillows, this cover. Home. Not some wooden shack, full of pain and fear, that had been the scene of his torture or his prison. This was his home, his bed.

He was surprised Janet had discharged him so quickly. Normally she wouldn't have, no matter how much he insisted that he was 'fine'. Having someone here to take care of him was the only reason it had been allowed. One more reason to be thankful for Leesia being here. Of course he was under the strict instruction that he had to have plenty of fluids and complete bed rest until he was told otherwise. She would be making house calls each night until she was satisfied that he was over the dehydration and his thigh was healing without infection.

Leesia's little fingers worked apart the buttons on his shirt and parted the material gently. She bit back a loud gasp, covering her mouth with both her hands as she took in the sight. Three angry red burns stared back at her. One on his side, one on his stomach and the third on his right nipple.

She stared, frozen.

He sighed when he took in her mournfully stunned expression. He should have warned her, but he had been so relieved to get home, that the memory of what he had endured had been pushed temporally to the back of his mind. "Leesia?" he called softy.

Her eyes snapped back up to his face.

"I'm going be okay." he told her for what felt like the millionth time.

Slowly the shock faded from her face. "These need to be tended to. I will be right back."

He nearly called her back the second she left. Had to bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself. _'This is stupid. She only in the other room. There's no reason to panic.' _He forced himself to take a large calming breath, blowing it out slowly. He needed that comfort, that strength that she gave him without even realising she did.

The speed of her pace when she came back in told him he wasn't the only one that couldn't bare to be parted from the other at the moment. She knelt beside him on the bed, laying everything she needed out next to her and carefully began cleaning the burn on his side. As she touched it he sucked in a quick breath through his teeth.

She paused instantly. "Am I hurting you?"

"No, they hurt me… You're helping. I just…"

"Expected to be hurt."

"Yeah." he admitted quietly.

"Do you wish to tell me what happened?"

"Not really." he said honestly. Living it was bad enough, without re-living it. But he knew that he would eventually have to talk it out with someone and he would rather someone he trusted rather then being sent to see Mackenzie. "You sure you want to hear it?"

Leesia caressed his cheek. "You should release your burden."

Her tiny fingers gave him the strength he needed. He drew in a deep breath and began his tale. "We were captured as soon as we found the device. We were blindfolded and lead God knows where. I tried to reason with them, but it didn't do any good. I shut up after they shot Rogelio, our guide." As he spoke she finished treating his side ad moved on to the one on his stomach. He took comfort in her touch, knowing that she was healing him physically as well as mentally, emotionally. "They shut us in a hut and then basically left us alone. Let our hunger and thirst do the work for them. It was two days before they came for me. Felt like longer. I was a little glad that it was me they took and not Bill, he wasn't holding up very well by that point… I was shoved across the camp to another hut and given the usual threats, talk or die that sort of thing…and then they showed me what they had planned…" Daniel closed his eyes, not wanting to see that pained look in her eyes that he knew was coming as soon as he told her. "It was a car battery, with jumper leads…they stripped me, tied me down and threw water over me…"

Daniel pushed his clenched fist to his eyes, trying to drive away the images. He didn't want to tell her, didn't want her to know what they had done to him. "I can't." he said shaking his head. "I can't talk about this." He was visibly shaking by that point.

"Daniel, look at me." Her soothing voice forced its way through his torment, as she gently pulling his hands from his face. He gazed up into the loving warmth of her brown orbs. "You can." she told him softly, ignoring the pleading way he was shaking his head. "And you need to. You must free your burden to able to you move on."

He knew she was right. Getting it off his chest was the only way to deal with something like this. "Give me a minute." he begged needing the moment to calm himself enough to continue.

"You may have as long as you need." she promised. While she waited she started treating the burn that cover his right nipple. She kept her free hand on his heart, silently feeding him the support that she knew he needed to finish his tale.

Eventually he found the courage to carry on. "I didn't talk." he began sounding almost proud of himself. "They kept sparking it in front of my face, trying to intimidate me…I didn't let on that it was working. I forced myself to think how much worse it would get if I did tell them. When they put the leads on me I… It was excruciating…I couldn't move, I couldn't…breathe…." He drew in a deep shaky breath, to get hold of his rising panic and proving to himself that it was over. "Just when I thought that I'd suffocate, they'd stop. Give me just enough time between to catch my breath so I wouldn't pass out. I wasn't allowed that luxury. Every time I came close they just threw more water in my face to revive me and then start again. They finally stopped when I was so done in that I couldn't have talked even if I wanted to."

He sighed in relief. The rest of the story, how Bill had cracked under their interrogation and their following escape and rescue by Jack, she already knew.

"Where is the forth?" she asked, scanning his chest for a wound she had missed. She knew that electricity required an entry and exit point. So Daniel had to have an even number of burns. There couldn't only be three, there had to be a forth and it would also need to be treated.

He slowly lowered his sweats and boxers to revel the final burn to her.

"Imprubuses!" she spat out under her breath.

"Language." he scolded, managing a smile.

Her touch was so light it was barely more than a whisper as she treated his last burn. When she was done, she eased his pants back up and leaned over him to gently kiss the corner of his mouth, careful to avoid the cut on his swollen lower lip.

"You endured so much. I do not know how you did."

"The pain was the easy bit. It was the fear that was worse. I was terrified. Not terrified of what they did or would do…I was terrified of not seeing you again." Gently he placed his hand on her stomach, lovingly covering her bump. "Terrified of leaving our baby without a father."

She covered his hand with her own and stroked his knuckles with her thumb. "If it had come to that Oma would have helped."

Daniel turned to face her, eyes wide. "She would have?"

Slowly Leesia nodded. "Should the need or warrant accrue there is no reason for you not to be offered a second opportunity. No matter what they did, they could not have ended you."

"Oh." he said stunned. "Well, that's quite comforting to know."

"Do not let it make you complacent." she warned with a playful poke in his ribs. "It will not be repeated."

He laughed out loud. Laughter, it felt so good. "Ow, okay, I get it. Two strikes and I'm out."

"That would be a suitable axiom."

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her, holding her gently. Amazed at how relaxed she made him feel so easily. "It is a nice thought though. To know that someday, when the Goa'uld are defeated and the threat to Earth is gone, we could go back. Maybe spend our golden years with the Ascended."

She snuggled closer to him, running her fingers over his arm, but remained silent.

"You said me." Daniel said suddenly.

"Pardon?" Her fingers stalled.

He shifted slightly so he could see her face. "You said me. Not us."

She turned away from his gaze. "Don't Daniel." she pleaded.

He sat up, ignoring the pain that flared through his thigh in protest to his sudden movement. He gently pinched her chin and forced her to face him "Lees… Tell me."

She shock her head and dropped her eyes. "I have already said more than is wise of me."

"Oh no, you can't tell me something like that and then clam up. Why me and not you?"

She cursed herself for her slip up. She only wished to give him some much needed comfort, but she should have realised that his questioning nature would see through her carefully worded explanation to the hidden truth of what she couldn't, shouldn't be telling him. She didn't have a choice now, he knew there was something, he wouldn't let it drop till he had it out of her and she knew it. "You have served your sentence and as such your crimes have been pardoned… Mine have not."

"When you freed me?"

She took a slow breath and nodded. "I was to be exiled. Tagenia is a beautiful planet, but it is desolate…and has no gate…You could have searched forever and not found me. We would have never been together." Subconsciously he tightened his grip on her. "So I fled, attempting to escape my punishment to give our baby the time it needed. Only when it became clear that my efforts where futile did I find you and return to this form."

"I'm glad you did." he said.

She nodded with a small sad smile. "I am also, but this conversation was not meant to be about me."

He chuckled again. "Damn, I was hoping I'd get away with that one."

…

_The sparks exploded in front of his face, closer this time. Daniel flinched, turning away and raised his arm over his face in protecting. _

"_You will tell me what I want to know." Raphael's voice, heavy with intended threat, was in his ear, in his head._

'_Can't say! Mustn't talk! Can't say!' "It's just an artefact!" he shouted._

_The leads were attached to his skin, biting into him like vipers. Vipers that sparked their venom between their heads, poisoning his flesh and flaying his skin in the pathway to its brother._

_He wanted to scream, but the pressure of the venom caused his muscles to contract making it impossible to even draw breath. His lungs burned with the need to fill… Still the pressure tightened._

_Just before the peace the snakes removed their fangs from his stomach and side. He gasped in a breath, like a drowning man finally surfacing from the watery depths._

_The serpents slithered round his bound, helpless body, searching for a new bite point. Raphael stepped into the circle. "Tell me!"_

'_Mustn't talk! Can't say!' "I've told you everything I know."_

_The snakes bared their fangs and hissed a warning._

"_You're lying."_

"_No."_

_The snakes coiled and struck. One attaching to his right pectoral, its twin piercing into his groin. The scream that had begged release before freed from his lips. The venom was turned on, blaring its agony, gripping him in tightness and muting his cry._

_He convulsed…and prayed._

_Silk whispered through the torture. '…Daniel…'_

_The light brightened inside the hovel, washing away the shadows and out of the brightness stepped an angel. _

_She glided towards him. Her warm light flowed, melting away the bonds, freeing him. "You are safe." she whispered. _

_He knew that silk. "Leesia?"_

"_I am here." She wrapped her arms around his battered, abused body. Tingles washed over him, replacing his pain with warmth, comfort, with love. "Rest now. You are safe."_

Leesia stroked Daniel's hair off his forehead and smiled when he gave a contented sigh in response. His pained whimpers had woken her, but she was glad they had. He had been through so much and she would wake every night if she had to, to talk him out of his nightmare and to fight away his demons. Satisfied that he was now sleeping peacefully, she settled back down and snuggled against his side.

…

Daniel leaned back onto his pillow and winced slightly, holding a breath in tightly as Leesia manipulated his leg into the different stretches that Janet had demonstrated to her.

It was nearly over now. A week after he had got home the nightmares stopped. Another week after that his burns had finally faded to faint silver circles. Another week of physio and he should be fit for active duty again. Yes, it was nearly over.

He had contradicting feeling on his physical therapy. On one hand, it hurt. He was sure his leg hadn't stretched that way even before he was shot. But on the other hand he loved being Leesia's sole focal point for the half hour it took and loved the attention her little loving hands showed him. Of course he wouldn't admitted it. He pouted and complained every morning and evening when it was time. Gripping about being mollycoddled. She merely smiled patiently and firmly told him that there was nothing more that she wanted to do than assist him get well.

He was not used to being looked after, from the tender age of eight years old he had always felt like he had to fend for himself, but now his life was bright with so much love and caring that he felt like he would be blinded by it. He had never know such contentment. He never wanted it to end.

"How is it feeling?" Leesia asked him, as she ease his leg back to the mattress and massaged his tight muscle.

"Fine. A little achy is all." he smiled, suddenly sitting up and grabbing her, pulling her on top of him and wrapping his arms around her. She rewarded him with a sweet giggle.

He brushed the hair away from her face and gazed up at her. "Thank you." he said sincerely. "Thank you doesn't even scratch the surface for how grateful I am."

"It is nothing. I have enjoyed looking after you."

"No, not just for this. Although, don't get me wrong, I really don't know how I would have got through all this without you."

"You would have, with your friends. I cannot take credit for your bravery."

"You're wrong about that, because it was you that gave me the strength. You're the light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like with you I can make it through anything. You make me feel…well, there are no words for how you make me feel."

"The linguist lost for words?" she smiled teasingly.

He locked his eyes onto hers, gazing deeply to hold her attention "…Marry me, Leesia."

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><p>AN ~ Let me know what you think :-)<p> 


	9. Chapter 8 Pain and Pleasure

**Chapter Eight - Pain and Pleasure**

He knew he should have made his proposal more special, he had wanted to, but at that moment it had just seemed…right.

Leesia smiled, with a hint of a giggle and leaned over him to kiss his lips sweetly.

"Can I take that a yes?" he questioned with a teasing grin.

She pinched her lips briefly between her teeth and shock her head.

"No?" he gasped, shocked. He was completely taken aback. The way he raised his eyebrows and his mouth fell ajar, proved that to her. He held his expression, questioning her. He had not expected her to turn him down. "Why?" he asked in a defying, childlike tone.

She smiled at him, finding his confusion very endearing. "I love you." she told him quickly, to take away any doubt he may have had for her feelings towards him. "And I would love to marry you…" she paused looking thoughtful.

"But?" he prompted unsteadily, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer to that.

"I know my feelings towards you have not and will not alter, but you do not have such luxury as you have not yet remembered any of our time together when we were ascended. How can you be sure of us, when you can't remember how we met, or our first times, or anything of our first year together."

His stubborn pout was prominent. "There a fly in you logic."

"Fly?" she questioned, having never heard that particular phrase before.

"Never mind. My point is, what if I never remember?"

While sharing a Kel'No'Reem session with Teal'c weeks before he had managed to recall seeing Bra'tac and Rya'c enslaved while he was ascended. In doing so had saved their lives, but as far that was the only memory of his time with the Ancients. To start with it had given him a boost of hope that all his memories where still there and they would eventually come back to him, but as the time had dragged by with no more insights he had gotten very disheartened. Now, fearing that it was a once off that had only occurred due to the dire need for it and was unlikely to happen again, he had resided himself to accepting that that part of his life could always eluded him.

"I know all I need to know. I know you, I trust you and I love you." he said, repeating her own original argument back to her.

"And that is why you will remember." she told him confidently, kissing him on his forehead. "Have faith in yourself." she kissed his check. "and in us." she finally kissed his lips.

"Just give me a hint, a clue, something, anything to go on." he begged earnestly.

"Always so stubborn. You know I want to, but I-."

"Please." he added, quickly interrupting before she could refuse. "Just one little hint and I'll stop asking, I promise."

She sighed, looking down at him disapprovingly. His hopeful gaze weakening her resolve. How could she resist? She rolled her eyes at him and softly told him, "Malgena."

"Malgena?" he repeated excitedly.

"Yes." she nodded with a smile.

"Malgena…Malgena." he murmered, carefully rolling the word around his mind, testing its familiarity. "What is that?"

Cradling his cheek, she gently kissed him. "You tell me."

The word stabbed at him, there was something, flitting around in his memory, just out of his reach, but he couldn't place it. It sounded almost Spanish, but he couldn't think of a translation for it… In any language he knew.

With a sigh of frustration he eased himself upright, gently lowering his weight onto his wounded leg. He ignored the crutches lent up by the door and with a very slight limp he hobbled across the hallway to his den. Well former den, it was currently in the middle of being transformed into a nursery. The boxed books, files and artefacts and the indentations in the carpet from where the furniture had been were now all that remained to show its previous use. His den, his study…his sanctuary really. Whenever something troubled him this had been where he came to bury himself in work and forget about his problems. This was his place of solace and he had given it up so readily, without blinking an eye, for his child.

He began searching through the many boxes for one he had labelled 'dictionaries', hoping that particular box wasn't one that had been taken to his lab at the SGC.

"What are you doing?" Leesia asked with a hint of amusement, leaning against the doorframe.

Daniel found the box he was searching for and pulled it open. "Looking for the translation." he replied without looking up as he settled himself on the floor and began scattering the contents around him.

"It is late."

"Yes, it is." he muttered, barley registering that she had spoken, as he focused on the task at hand.

"Do you not wish to rest?"

"Uh huh."

She smiled with a small shake of her head. He was completely absorbed and she doubted he was even aware she was here, let alone what she had said, his answer was only a reflex response. One she had heard many times before. She loved his dedication, but couldn't let him carry on his search knowing it was futile.

"Daniel, you will not find Malgena here."

"Uh huh."

"There is no translation."

"Uh huh."

She waited a few seconds for her words to filter through to his determined mind. Saw the exact moment it clicked in. He paused. "…wait, what?" He questioned, finally looked up at her from the books.

She bit her lip to stop her grin from becoming mockingly too big. "There is no translation for Malgena." she repeated.

"So it's a name of something." he said knowingly, carefully studying her reaction. "What is it? A place? A person?"

She folded her arms pointedly across her chest and refused to answer. She debated reminding him that he had promised to stop asking questions if she gave him a 'hint', but decided against it. She had know that was a promise that was doomed to fail, with his inquisitive nature to stop seeking the answers would be an impossibility.

She lowered herself behind him, running her hands over his tight shoulders down his chest and hugged him. "You cannot force yourself to remember."

"If want to marry you before this baby is born I'm gonna have to."

"It is not a condition. I only wish for you to have peace of mind."

"I know, but I already do. I…" he paused, 'Malgena' niggled in his head. Slowly he turned to face her, realisation shining in his eyes. "I'm missing something important aren't I?"

Gently she caressed the worry lines off his forehead with the tip of her finger. "Daniel, you must stop asking such questions for I am not able to lie to you and I detest denying you anything. You must remember for yourself. You have the most amazing mind I have ever known. You need only have faith in yourself." as she spoke she stroked her hand down his face, cupped his chin and angled him gently so she could finally lower her lips to his.

He knotted his fingers through her hair and cradled the back of her neck, holding her closer to him, prolonging and deepening their kiss.

She loved how he kissed her. The feel of his lips and tongue waltz with hers, and with her hormones on a constant heightened state due to her pregnancy was all it took for her to want him so badly it made her ache deep down in the pit of her stomach.

She felt the corners of his lips turn up as he began pawing at his t-shirt, in her need to feel the tingles of their skin making contact with one another.

"I am sorry, but I need to feel you, immediately." she breathed, parting her lips briefly from his so she could pull his t-shirt over his head.

"That is nothing to apologise for." his breathing was quickly matching hers, showing her she was not the only one deep in desire. He welcomed the sight of her mirroring him, revealing her smooth, soft skin to his eyes. His hands followed the path of his sight, wanting to feel the warmth and softness of her skin against him and they moaned as the tingles absorbed into each of them.

"This pregnancy seems to have altered me into a quivering assembly of rampant hormones and I do not know how I can control them." she said as they stumbled back towards the bedroom, their lips and hands barley leaving each others skin.

"I noticed." Daniel said with a large smile. He was loving her overactive hormones. It had been too long.

"And I warned you that I might become addicted to you"

"I'm not complaining." he swallowed hard as her lips pushed lightly against his Adam's apple.

* * *

><p><em>The warm glow of the three orange and pink setting suns, bounced beautiful colours off the shallow ripples of the calm sea. The air was fresh with the aroma of peace and tranquillity. The couple stood together side by side on the shoreline. The desperation of her silken voice slashed through the stillness.<em>

"_Ego mos asordo tua." Leesia said, firmly. She gripped tightly onto the front of his tan robes and looked up at him, pleadingly. _

_Daniel stubbornly, shock his head. "Haud!" but his tone softened when her expression turned to one of longing and fear. "Ego moris periclitatus tua…" he said as he traced his hand, opened palm, across her stomach, from one hip to the other. "…neque nostrum filia." _

"_Daniel, mai pertinax maritus, comdo subsisto!" she said desperately to him. Her eyes filling with tears, beseeching him. _

"_Ego nolo," he told her, his tone mournful and with a hint of anxiety. "autem ego volo repeto tua. Illud est promissio." he gave a small hopeful smile as he wiped away a tear that had started its journey down her soft cheek._

_They pulled each other close, in a tight embrace. Throwing all their love, passion and longing for each other into that one innocent act. Their combined energies glowing as they transferred back and forth to one another making the warmth of the suns pale in comparison._

…

Daniel woke with a start. The images still fresh in his mind. He wondered if he had been dreaming. He didn't usually dream in Ancient and somehow it seemed far too…real.

He didn't want to wake her, she was sleeping so peacefully, with her body curled around her bump protectively, but he simply had to know.

He stretched his arm out and gently shock her, softly calling her name to rouse her from her slumber. She rolled towards him, keeping her eyes delicately closed and asked sleepily. "Is it time to go already?"

"No love," he whispered, glancing at his bedside clock. "It's still early."

"Are you all right?" she asked, peeking at him, through her heavy lids but the broad smile on his face told her that he was good.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." he said quickly. "I think I remembered something."

"Is it how I am carrying your child and therefore need my sleep?" she questioned with a grumble.

She was right. He shouldn't be waking her up like this. She needed to keep her strength up and the pregnancy was making it harder for her to get any decent amount of sleep as it was, without him taking more time from her. He was about to apologise when she suddenly met his pursed lips with her own. She smiled against his lips, silently whispering to him that she wasn't angry.

"What did you remember?" she asked him, the wariness still evident in her voice and he reprimanded himself once again for waking her. Damn his insistent curiosity. She settled herself back onto the pillow, and waited for his newest tale.

"I'm not sure, I might have been dreaming," he warned "but I think I remember something from when we were ascended."

Her eyes flashed open with excitement and she smiled broadly. "Tell me." she urged. All thought of sleep undoubtedly forgotten.

"Well, I didn't recognize where we were, but it had three suns and we were by the ocean."

She nodded, spurring him to continue. Her poorly contained excitement nearly made him forget his train of thought. "Uh, we were speaking ancient. You said…" he replayed her words in his head _'Ego mos asordo tua.'_ "…You wanted to help me do something, but you didn't say what…Um…" He closed his eyes in concentration.

She waited while he tried to translate in his head, but he could tell she was getting impatient. '_Haud. Ego moris periclitatus tua'. _"…I wouldn't let you risk yourself…Neque nostrum filia; or our daughter?" he gapped at her open mouthed, before dropping his line of sight to her stomach. His hand reached for it. "… daughter?" he questioned, testing the way the word sounded. Yes, that felt right.

She beamed wider. "You were convinced we were having a girl."

"It was real?" Daniel asked, turning his attention back to her. His eyes were wide, questioning.

She nodded again, this time in agreement. He had been right, this was no dream. He had just recalled his first memory of their time together as ascended beings. He hoped there would be more.

"…You called me…'mai pertinax maritus'" he noticed her look away from him as he spoke. A blush coloured her cheeks, but she looked excited, or possibly hopeful. "…You said; Daniel, mai pertinax maritus, comdo subsisto. Comdo subsisto is; please stay. Mai is my or mine. Pertinax maritus, … maritus? I know that word. Maritus?…'" he absently ran his finger over his lower lip as he thought. Then its meaning dawned on him. His jaw dropped in shock and he stared at her. "Husband? You called me your husband… We were married before when we were ascended."

Her smile grew so wide on her face and even in the dim light he could see the twinkle of tears pooling. "You remembered." She chocked out. Stunning him as she threw herself into his arms. "I knew you would." She breathed into the hollow between his shoulder and neck as she pulled herself tighter to him. He carefully avoided putting weight on the mound that was getting more prominent between her hips, but he grazed his fingers across it, as he had in his memory.

"What was I doing?" he asked her. Reluctantly she pulled her head up so he could see her face. There were tears in her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile.

"It was just before you departed to Abydos. That was the last time I saw you, before..."

"Before I forgot you…I'm sorry." He stocked his thumb across her cheek, wiping away the tears that had tracked down her face. He could imagine how hurtful it must be to be forgotten by the one you love. The next word he now had remember saying to her: _'Ego nolo, autem ego volo repeto tua. Illud est promissio.' _mocked him.

"I promised you I'd come back." he said mournfully. "I'm so sorry."

"I do not, and have not ever, blamed you for what transpired. I am certain you had ever intention of returning. I realised how close you were to the Abydonians. You must have been left without a choice. All things worked themselves right in the end. Once we were again together, the journey became irrelevant." she smiled, as she began placing tender kisses across his collar bone.

"What is 'pertinax'?" he asked. It was the only thing he had not been able to translate. He had a vague idea, but wanted to confirm it.

She was careful to avoid his gaze, but he could feel that her lips had turned up at the corners against his skin. She was grinning. "Stubborn."

He gave a fleeting grin. He had seen that one coming. "Of course. So now I've remembered something from when we were ascended will you do me the honour of marrying me?"

"We are married already." she pointed out.

"Not according to the laws of this planet." he argued.

"Surly it only matters what is in our hearts."

"I would like it to be legal before the baby is born."

"The laws never used to bother you so much when you were ascended."

"Leesia," He pushed a stray strand of her hair off her face. "I have no way of knowing if any more of my memories will come back."

"There is no reason to believe that they will not." she said interrupting him.

He held aloft his index finger and spoke with his usually quick speed. "My point is; we don't actually know how much of it, if indeed any more, will come back to me. It stands to reason that Oma would have had to remove them to spare me from further punishment. Because I can recall almost everything from before I was ascended, I think it's safe to assume that these couple of memories are a one off that have transpired due to a critical need for then and not likely to reoccur. So to me it's like we're not married, because I don't remember a wedding. Chances are I never will. I don't remember proposing to you and I don't remember a wedding night, or a honeymoon. I would like to be able to remember one. Even if it is a second one. It might not be the original but if a copy is all I can have then I will be grateful. I want to see you in a white dress and I want to speak my vows to you and hear yours…I want to think of you as my wife."

She smiled warmly. "You see how you already are my stubborn husband."

"Humour me."

She rolled her eyes at him with a slight shake of her head, but her smile remained. "Yes Daniel. I will marry you."

He pulled her back into his arms. "Thank you." he said gratefully kissing her shoulder.

"…again." she added, cheekily getting in the last word.


	10. Chapter 9 Frustration and Relief

**A.N ~ **I would like to say a huge thank you for everyone who reviewed on fanfic as well as on youtube. Your overwhelming amount of responses kept me smiling and hard at it for days. Please keep them up, I can't begin to say how big it makes difference it makes to know that the story is appreciated. I will do my best to not let you down. And to 'behind hazel eyes'- well spotted, I was wondering who would be the first to point that one out :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine - Frustration and Relief<strong>

Daniel couldn't concentrate.

He re-read the same sentence for the seventh time in as many minutes, before realising that it was futile and surrendering to his impulse. Curled up on the couch on his office, was the source of his distraction. A large book propped open on her prominent stomach that was housing his child.

His love.

His fiancée.

He smiled broadly, as he thought that very soon he would be saying his wife.

The wedding would be a simple one. There was not much time to plan anything elaborate and he wanted to be married before the baby was born. He was thinking a reception and a honeymoon at some point after the birth, but for now, it just needed to be legal. This morning they had spoken to Hammond and the General had agreed that they could use level 17 for the ceremony. It was the largest open space in the SGC other than the gateroom and while that would be preferable, they could not risk the 'gate activating during the ceremony as they couldn't risk the minister viewing that. Level 17 was mainly civilian so would not require the highest authorisation.

Also, in order to make Leesia a legal citizen, there were some documents that needed fabricating. Hammond had promised to sort that out for them. Since she didn't have them, they needed to invent a date of birth and a surname for her. Daniel immediately suggested the 14th of May, the date she had taken human form and 'Clarmore', the Ancient word for pure love. Leesia agreed both where perfect.

All that needed to be done was invite the guests and shop for rings and her dress. The latter of which he hoped could be done this weekend.

In two weeks time they would be married.

Two weeks he could call her his wife.

Not long after that, she would also be the mother of his child.

Soon he would be saying his family. Something he hadn't felt he had since he had lost his parents at eight years old. He felt like he was coming home at last. His smile broadened as he continued to watch her peacefully read.

She was lightly stroking her fingers across the page, her brow puckered in concentration. He had never been jealous of a book before, but right now he was gladly trade places with 'The Truth of the Tales - The Facts in Fiction.' just to feel those fingers caress is skin just as gently.

A small beep on his computer interrupted his gaze. The little window on his screen showed that he had an IM. He rolled his mouse over and clicked the open box.

It read:

**'Is there a reason as to why you are staring at me that way?'**

He jumped. He hadn't seen her use her ability like this before and he hadn't had chance to get used to it. So her unexpected manipulation of his p.c. startled him slightly. When he turned back to face her, Leesia was wearing a cheeky grin. "Careful love, there's a lot of stuff on there that would be extremely hard to replace." he warned softly, as he moved around his bench and joined her on the couch. Pushing the book aside, he grazed his hand over her inflated stomach. She was getting so big, so quickly.

"This is defiantly a first." Leesia said, with a happy sigh.

Daniel looked up at her, his eyebrows high and his lips slightly parted. "What is love?"

"You being distracted from your work. I believe we have found your weakness." she patted the hand that rested on her stomach, knowingly.

"She wasn't the one who distracted Me.," he said as he pulled her into a kiss.

The phone rang loudly. The couple shared a disappointed look at the interruption. As Daniel went to answer it, Leesia returned to her book, knowing the chances of being able to distract him from his work twice in one day where slim to none.

"Daniel Jackson." he answered after pulling the handset to his ear.

"Good morning, Daniel." Janet's pleasant voice greeted him.

"Morning Janet." he replied. At the mention of the Doctors name Leesia glanced up, fleetingly, before returning her attention back to the book, but Daniel couldn't help but notice the fear that had flashed briefly in her eyes. She had never gotten over her medical fears and they still had no idea why. Daniel had theorised that it must have been something that happened to her before she ascended. She had no memories before her ascension to confirm or disprove his speculation.

Because of the intensity of her terror, Janet and Daniel had tried to minimise her exposure to any medical procedure. Neither of them wanted her stressed during her pregnancy. Nevertheless, there were things that needed to be checked and Janet had left it as long as possible.

"She's not going to like it." Daniel said, gruffly.

"I have left it for as long as possible, but she's behind on a few check ups and she's missed her second scan. Has she eaten anything this morning?"

"No, not yet." Daniel answered honestly, immediately feeling bad. He should be making sure she was keeping her strength up. He braced himself for the tongue-lashing he was certain Janet was about to dish out to him.

"That's good, we can get everything done at once then," she told him, stunning him. "We've got to do a GTT, so get her to drink-" he missed what she was saying next when the sound of the klaxon sounded followed by Walter's announcement of 'Unscheduled off-world activation "-to the infirmary in two hours and we'll run the test then…"

"I'm sorry could you repeat that." Daniel requested.

Janet quickly explained everything else that they were going to check. , knowing that Leesia would take it better, if Daniel explained it to her.

"Can I be there?" he asked the doctor.

"That's up to her, but I have no problem with you being there, in fact I think it'll probably help ease her anxiety and if I could insist on it I would, but ultimately it is down to her."

He thanked her and replaced the handset. Leesia's panic was already showing. He quickly retook his place next to her on the couch. "Try to stay calm." he soothed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He could feel how tense her muscles had become, she was also breathing heavily. "Janet just wants to do a few checks for the baby. There's nothing to be scared of and she said I could be there with you. That is if you want me to?"

Leesia nodded, slowly, not trusting her voice. She didn't want Daniel to see how truly terrified she was. She hated feeling like this and knowing that it caused him distress to see it only made her feel worse. She took a few long, deep breaths, in attempt to slow her pounding heart. She thought briefly about telling him that she would be fine without him, he had many translations that he was behind on and his presence wouldn't stop the fear she felt, but she ultimately craved any comfort he could provide her.

He pulled her as close to his chest as her pregnancy would allow him to and whispered in her ear. "It's okay, sweetheart."

"It is intensely frustrating Daniel. I do not understand why I react in this way." she gripped.

"We call it an irrational fear. Many people have them."

"Do you?" she asked, he saw the hope in her eyes.

"I used to," he told her honestly. "I used to have a problem with heights. Being on SG-1 I had to confront that fear regularly and that cured me of it a long time ago. Now I hardly have to think twice before jumping out of a plane. The point is you can overcome it; you just have to be brave. Can you do that?" he asked, adding "For me?" when he saw her hesitation.

"Morning campers." Jack beamed, as he strode into the office. "I interrupting?" he questioned, seeing the couples embrace.

'_You would have been if Janet hadn't rung.' _Daniel thought. "What is it, Jack?"

"Jonas is here," the Colonel, told them. "Hammond wants us all in the briefing room ASAP."

Daniel huffed out his irritation. It was lousy timing.

"I will be fine." she told him, seeing his hesitation, but the way her bottom lip trembled told him that once again she was putting on a brave face for his benefit.

"Your appointment is not for another two hours." Daniel told her. "With any luck I'll be done by then." he retrieved an energy drink from his pack. As well as his protein bars, they were part of his off world diet. He checked the label on the bottle. It was perfect. "You'll need to drink half of this," he told her. "I'll try and meet you in the infirmary at eleven."

"I'm sure Hammond will excuse you if the meeting goes on for longer than that." Jack told the younger man.

Leesia's eye lit up with hope and she nodded in gratitude. "I will be fine," she repeated sounded as if she was trying to convince herself more than him.

She gave him an encouraging smile as he left, she could see that he was reluctant to go and loathed that she caused him to worry. She hated her irrational fear.

She took a big swig of the orange coloured drink that Daniel had given her and winced at the sharp sweetness, cursing his sweet tooth as she did. It was awful, much too sweet for her, but at least it was a distraction. She would do her best to be brave for him, just as he had asked her.

…

The meeting didn't take as long as Daniel had fretted, but the outcome wasn't good. Jonas' whole planet was endangering of exploding. While Sam had offered her assistance with his calculations, there were representatives from Kelowna coming here to discuss some alternate solutions. Jack, Teal'c and Hammond would also be in the meeting, but Daniel realised that the bulk of the negotiations would fall to him. Knowing the futile nature of the politics of the planet he realised it was going to be stressful day.

He met Leesia, as promised, in the infirmary, grateful that he arrived just before her. She was doing her best to appear calm, but he knew her so well he could spot the subtle differences. She looked paler and she was nervously tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth. Although she seemed to brighten considerably when she spotted him waiting for her.

"You'll be okay," he whispered as he hid a kiss in her hair. "I'll be with you the whole time."

"Thank you," she answered him just as softly, as Doctor Janet Frasier stepped in to the infirmary just behind her.

"How is the mother to be?" Janet asked brightly.

"A little apprehensive." she confessed and Daniel gave her hand a comforting squeeze, which she gratefully returned.

"Well that is understandable, but I need you to try and stay as calm as possible. I can sedate you but I would prefer not to, unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I will certainly try." Leesia promised.

"Ok." Janet smiled encouragingly. "First I need to take a blood sample. You'll feel a little scratch on the inside of you arm, it will be over very quickly I promise."

Leesia nodded feeling her throat tighten. She took a deep breath to steady herself and gripped Daniel's hand tighter.

As Janet prepared the needles, Daniel told Leesia all about what was happening on Kelowna as a way to distract her. It seemed to work. He was waiting on tender hocks for her panic to kick in but it simply didn't. Even when Janet inserted the needle. She was clearly nervous, but she remained coherent.

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Janet said and Daniel kissed her knuckles rewarding her for her bravery. He was proud of her and it showed.

After that, Janet checked her blood pressure and her temperature. Throughout both she remained in a semi calm state. Although Daniel could feel that, her palm was getting sweaty and she was trembling ever so slightly. Janet kept up the questions and that seemed to help her focus on answering them rather than her panic. The Doctor asked her if she was suffering from any pains, swelling, morning sickness, cravings. Leesia shock her head for each one.

Doctor Frasier was pleased. "And how often are you feeling baby move?"

"I have not as of yet." Leesia told her and Daniel noticed the sudden, slight alarm on Janet's face.

"Janet?" he asked.

"Now it's probably nothing, but you should be feeling movement at this stage." Janet told the increasingly worried couple. She pulled over the ultrasound machine and closed the curtain around them. "Lie back and pull your pants down a little bit." Janet instructed.

"Daniel?" Leesia called and he clearly heard the distress in her voice.

"Its okay." he answered quickly, forcing his voice not to betray his inner alarm.

Daniel had been looking forward to the scan. As he missed the first one, as he was off-world at the time, he now couldn't wait to see his baby (his daughter, as he now firmly believed) for the first time. Now he was starting to worry. He should have insisted on her having more check ups, but she had seemed so healthy and he didn't want to stress her. He helped her adjust her clothing and eased her back, but as soon as her head touched the pillow the panic attack, that he had feared, hit her in full force.

Her screams echoed through the quite SGC. Daniel was quick to pull her back into the safety of his arms, but it did nothing to ease her distress. Her tiny, clenched fists beat against his embrace. She was locked tight in the 'fight and flight' throws of sheer terror. To her he wasn't comforting her he was restraining her. She thrashed wildly.

"She's going to hurt herself." Daniel warned Janet.

The Doctor had no choice. She quickly prepared the sedative shot and after asking Daniel to hold her as still as he could, she injected it into the terrified woman's upper arm.

He whispered sweet words of comfort in her ear and run his fingers through her long, soft hair as the drug took effect and slowly she began to ease in his arms.

"I only gave her a small dose. It shouldn't last long." Janet warned.

Daniel nodded to show his understanding, never taking his attention from his trembling love. "Lees, we've got to do the scan. Are you okay with that?"

She nodded against his shoulder, hiding her face. He lent over her and kept her tight to him as he gently lowered her onto her back. She tensed and gripped him harder.

Janet quickly went to work, applying the cool gel to her lower abdomen. She moved the probe over Leesia's skin and the sound of a fast, wet pulsing heartbeat filled the infirmary.

"Whoa." Daniel breathed, when he registered exactly what he was hearing. He grinned across Leesia and meeting Janet's look. She nodded towards the monitor, drawing Daniel's attention to the screen. "Is that her?" he asked the Doctor, even though he already knew the answer. In the fuzzy black and white image, he could make out a tiny foetus. His baby. His daughter. "Is she okay?" he asked, his voice choked with emotion.

Janet smiled. "I'm just taking a few measurements, but it's a good healthy heartbeat. Did you want me to confirm the sex?"

"Can you tell?"

"It is a little unclear, so I can't give you a defiant, only my best guess."

"Lees?" he prompted. Her eyes were heavy, with the medication having a strong effect on her. She failed in her attempt to focus on his question.

"You don't have to decide now." Janet told him and he nodded gratefully. That was a decision that they should make together and she wasn't in a right frame of mind to make that decision now.

Janet wiped the gel off Leesia belly. "Well, I'm done here."

"Everything's okay?" Daniel asked.

Janet studied the readouts carefully, her brow puckered.

"Janet, is something wrong?"

Leesia turned her unfocused attention on the Doctor as well, as Janet spoke. "No, not wrong. But unusual. At 24 weeks pregnant, we expect to see a foetus of approximately 30cm head to toe. Your baby is measuring 42cm long. We wouldn't expect to see that until around 32 weeks."

"Why?" Daniel questioned.

"I simply don't know." Janet told them, shaking her head.

"It is because you are with me." Leesia said, her speech was slurred and soft, but gripped both of their attention. "Your presence feeds her Daniel. Just as mine does."

"What d'you mean?" he asked her as Teal'c walked into the infirmary.

"General Hammond is requesting your immediate presence in the gate room Daniel Jackson." The Jaffa's deep voice boomed through the gray room.

"Just give me a minute, Teal'c."

However, Leesia over ruled him. "You need to go. We can continue this later…also I wish to sleep." she was struggling to keep her eyes open.

Daniel reluctantly agreed. He bent over her and lightly kissed her on the forehead; by the time he straighten up, she was fast asleep. He thanked Janet before he left with his friend and team-mate.

"Is Leesia and your child well, Daniel Jackson?"

"As far as we know, but we seem to have lost some time." Daniel explained.

The big man raised an eyebrow in question. "How so?"

"Um, Leesia is nearly six months pregnant but the baby is the right size for around the seven, seven and a half month mark."

Teal'c strode beside his friend, with his hands clasped behind his back. "I believe your calculations to be incorrect, Daniel Jackson. If your child was indeed conceived during your time as an Ascended being then Leesia should be at least in her ninth month of pregnancy."

"You think she's lying?"

"I do not. I have spent limited time with Leesia, but I have found her to be honourable. I would presume that the confusion lies in the differences between the human gestation period and that of the Ancients."

Daniel mused over his friend's thoughts as he left him and headed down to level 28 to greet the Kelownian Ambassadors in the gateroom.

…

"Hey." Janet smiled down as Leesia came to. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine." Leesia said, sitting up quickly. "I apologise for the trouble I cause you. It is not my wish to be a burden."

Janet waved away her apology. "Please don't worry about it. Before you fell asleep, you mention something about Daniel's presence being linked to the growth of your baby. Do you remember what you meant by that?"

As Leesia nodded, the Doctor noticed her tremble slightly. Clearly, the woman was still fearful.

"Would you be more comfortable if we went somewhere else to talk?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank you." Leesia sighed.

Janet led her down the halls to the elevator. They headed up one level to the commissary. Leesia had only had the glucose loaded drink and Janet wanted to insure she had a decent lunch.

"It's not very good." Janet told her, as she placed a tray of food for them both in between them. "But it's a step up from hospital food… Now as you were saying?"

"I do not know how best to explain it. Everything in my head about it is in Ancient. Some sections there are no direct translation for." Leesia took a bite out of her sandwich and chewed it thoughtfully. "As you are aware Ancients exist as a type of energy. Due to this reproduction for them is very different from humans. When two Ancients join as a couple, their combined energies intensify and very occasionally it…" she thought of the right word to describe it. "…sparks a new life. The occurrence is a very rare gift."

Janet listened carefully as the former Ancient spoke; feeling like this was more Sam's field of expertise rather than her own. "But it happened for you and Daniel."

Leesia nodded and continued, "In order for that life-energy to mature to the point where it can exist on its own both entities are required to contribute their energies frequently."

"So when Daniel was sent back…"

"For lack of a better wording; my pregnancy was paused. Or more accurately slowed considerably. Now we have returned to each other I believe the growth rate should increase to that of which is was before."

The Doctor took a second to absorb the information she had been given. "That would certainly explain how you were only 9 weeks pregnant when I first saw you and how your baby has grown since then. Does Daniel know about this?"

Leesia shock her head. "No. I neglected to tell him before due to my desire for him to remember on his own, also I believe the knowledge would cause him to place blame upon himself unnecessarily. He is not at fault for what transpired and I would not wish for him to come to the belief that he was."

…

Daniel stomped into his office. He removed his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed. He slammed his hands onto his hips and pressed his lips tightly together.

"I presume it is not going favourably." Leesia said, stepping up to him and handing him a coffee.

"They're infuriating. All they do is bicker over who is at fault. The lives of hundreds of thousands are at stake and all they're worried about is who is going to saddle the blame. Jack has lost patients with them and walked out."

"Which leaves it down to you." she slipped her arms around him waist, squeezing him gently. "You will get through to them. You always do."

He returned her hug, smiling at her faith in him that he didn't have for himself. "How are you feeling?"

"I am fine. I apologise for causing you concern. I have no understanding as to the reason for my terror."

"I know. You said something before, about the baby."

Leesia smiled, her sweet stubborn husband wasn't going to let it drop, even though he clearly had enough on his mind at the present. "We will discuss it tonight at home, when your mind is less troubled. I have already informed Janet. As my Doctor, I believed she is entitled to an explanation. I hope that is passable with you?"

Daniel smiled, pleased that she had shown a trust in the Doctor. It went a long way to show that she was trying to overcome her irrational fears. "Yes, of course, that's fine."

"But while you are here, there is something much more important that requires your immediate attention."

"There is?"

Her eyes flickered up to his. He saw the longing and lust there. She reached behind him and he heard the door sigh closed and then the sound of the lock falling into place.

"Now?" his eyes widened in shock. "Here?"

"Now!" she nodded, "Here."

She stretched up onto her toes so she could kiss him and he felt her small, warm hands slip under his clothes and igniting up his spine, causing him to groan into her mouth. The sensual sensations made his need for her race to overwhelming proportions.

His hands moved quickly removing her clothing but his lips travelled more slowly, from her lips, down her jaw, lingering down her throat. Her breathing hitched when he moved to her breast and went completely erratic when he kissed over the bulge that had formed between her hipbones. She was shivering with anticipation, her fingers lightly tugging through his messed hair.

Her fingers quickly worked his green BDU pants off his hips. Soon he would give her the release she badly craved, as well as find his own, that the frustration of the day had caused him to need as much as her.

…

"Daniel how the whole diplomacy thing working out for ya?" Jack asked catching Daniel up as he was on his way back to the briefing room.

"It's not. The latest argument is about the selection process. Kelownas want a lottery, Terrania want assigning positions and the Andari's want to form a committee to discuss the problem." he told him

Jack was amazed that Daniel looked so relaxed with it all and wondered briefly, what his secret was. He would have been pulling his hair out and screaming at them long ago. Even Teal'c who had an abundance of patience had given up on these people. Yet Daniel was a picture of serenity.

"What?"

"I'm trying to remind them they're facing total annihilation, but they can't seem to face their own mistrust." Daniel said and Jack noticed a hint of underlying annoyance. There was just no getting though to them. The Colonel knew Daniel would never give up on them, even though he probably should. Jack had reached his limit with these people. He didn't have Daniel's calm and tolerance and as far as Jack could see, these people were abusing the archaeologist's good nature. Something had to be done and he knew exactly what to do.

"I think I can help you out on this." Jack said grabbing Daniel by the shoulders and turning the younger man to face him.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked worriedly, but the Colonel didn't answer him as he strode speedily away.

Daniel mused it over as he headed back to level 27 and into the briefing room. No surprises they were still arguing.

…

They had barely stepped through the door of his small bungalow when Daniel rounded on her. "You said you would explain what you meant when we got back."

Leesia smiled. He really was so stubborn. Her sweet, stubborn husband was not going to forget. She turned to him. "Before I explain I require you to make me a promise."

"Anything." he instantly swore, his thirst for knowledge outweighing all rationality.

"I require you to remember that I have never blamed you."

"Okay…" he said warily, feeling apprehensive. Subconsciously his arms wrapped around his torso. "I promise."

"When we were ascended our baby was made up of our collected energy and required us both to give it life. You had to put your energy into me frequently to allow it to grow."

"That's what you meant by she feeds from me as well as you?"

"Yes. When you left to assist the Abydonians the child's development stopped." seeing his pained look she added. "We understood that while we were apart the child would not grow further. Because of this, you gave your child all of the energy you could before you left. You have every intention of not interfering. Walking the line, but not to cross it. You promised me that you would return to me and I believe you had every intention of honouring that promise."

"I did. I remember that much." Daniel said.

"We are together again now it is clear that you are giving your child everything it needs and more, its growth rate is proof of that."

He placed his hand lovingly over her stomach. Had he really risked his child? "I shouldn't have left you. I'm so sor-"

"-Daniel Jackson do not dare apologise to me!" Leesia interrupted with an angry glint in her eye. "The Abydonians were in immediate danger. Your child and I were not." her tone softened and she placed her hand on his chest. "Your actions were pure of heart. Please do not pain yourself with unnecessary guilt. What is done can not be altered and you can not regret the journey when the goal is purest."

He slowly nodded, accepting her words. "I still don't understand how I can be contributing now we're both human."

She slipped her hand beneath his t-shirt. As her palm connected with the skin of his chest, the tingles came back in earnest. He closed his eyes and exhaled loudly with the sensation.

"You feel that," she said

"Yes." he breathed, his eyes dropping closed.

"It is our energies merging. It felt the same when we were ascended."

He nodded. "That explains a lot."

"It also explains why the only thing I am craving is your touch."

He chuckled, "I think that part is mutual"

"There is no more need for talking."

"I agree."

Their lips didn't leave each other as they stumbled to the bedroom.

* * *

><p>A.N ~ Let me know what you think :-)<p> 


	11. Chapter 10 Plans and Dreams

**A.N ~** Sorry for the looooonnnngggggg delay in getting this chapter up, I have had a mild case of writers block for this story so have been working on my others to try and coax the creative flow back.

I would like to thank Bobcox26 for giving me my one solitary review on the last chapter and I dedicate this one to you! Knowing that at least one person is enjoying this story enough to carry on reading it and reviewing was enough to keep me going with Light God and stop me giving up, or moving on with one of my other novels. So thanks again, this ones for you, I hope you like it.

**Warning ~** Spoilers for 'Chimera'.

**Chapter Ten - Plans and Dreams**

Daniel attempted to hide his wide yawn behind his closed fist as the couple made their way up the sunny road towards the bridal shop. Of course, she noticed.

"Are you feeling well Daniel? You seem very fatigued today." Leesia observed.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well. Had the weirdest dream," he added, immediately cursing himself for his open honesty, knowing it would only lead to questions. Questions he didn't want to answer.

"Did you remember something else?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh no, it's um… it's a long story." Daniel said, dismissively, there was no way he was going to admit that he had been dreaming of an ex-girlfriend. He had no way of knowing how jealous she would get and didn't want to upset her, especially this late in her pregnancy. He certainly was not going to admit that this was the second night in a row it had happened. With planning the wedding and his commitments at the SGC, it was bad timing for not getting decent nights sleep. He was finding that he couldn't concentrate on any of his translations and was more than a little grateful that SG-1 didn't have an off-world mission scheduled for a while.

She eyed him questionably, but thankfully she didn't push for more information than what he was willing to share as they reached their destination and he held the door open, gesturing for her to go inside.

"Hello, I'm Daniel Jackson, this is my fiancée Leesia Clarmore." he greeted the redheaded woman behind the counter with a smile. Her name badge identified her as Suzy.

"Such an interesting name, is it Spanish?" she asked as she shock his out reached hand.

"Uh." Leesia stammered unsure how to answer.

"Italian." Daniel answered quickly.

"How exotic." Suzy cooed with a coy smile. "How can I help you?"

"We're getting married next week. We need the dress and tux."

"Okay. Do you have anything particular in mind?"

"Whatever she wants." Daniel smiled. Just because it would only be a small ceremony didn't mean he couldn't make it as perfect for her as he could.

"Well how about we get you sorted out first then, Honey?" she smiled at Daniel. "Then you can make yourself scarce while this lovely Latina here can get organized. Its bad luck to see the bride in the dress before the big day after all."

Daniel readily agreed. He had some shopping to do himself anyway. He had originally intended to buy her ring when Sam had taken Leesia out shopping last week, but he had got caught up on a translation, as he so often did, and hadn't noticed how long he had worked for until Leesia had called him from home wondering where he was.

As Suzy measured him in every possible way, the thought briefly entered his head that maybe that was the reason behind his dreams. After all it was due to his knack for getting caught up in his work, to the point where he was unaware of anything else going on around him, that had caused the argument that lead to Sarah and his break up. Maybe this was his subconscious's way of warning him not to make the same mistake again. He shook his head, already able to see Leesia's reaction to his theory. _'What you currently do is substantially more important than publishing paper and proving theories, Daniel.' _She would say, always was so understanding and supportive. He doubted they would ever argue over his work…their work, he mentally corrected himself. Besides whenever she had needed his attention all she had to do was touch him and allow their tingles to refocus his mind on her.

When Suzy finished with him, Daniel left the store. The bright sun beat down on him warming his hair and shoulders. He clipped the darkened lenses over his glasses to protect his tired eyes and fisted back another yawn. First thing he had to do was get a good, strong cup of coffee.

Half an hour later, topped up on caffeine and with his bank account considerably lighter her re-entered the bridal store.

"Is it safe to enter?" he called.

"Yes. We're nearly done here. Take a seat we wont be long." came Suzy's feminine reply from behind a thick curtain that served as the changing room. He dropped down onto an armchair at the side of the store and settled himself down to wait. When women said they were nearly done it could mean hours still to go.

It seemed only a moment later when he heard Leesia's silken voice call to him. "Daniel?" It reminded him of the first night he could remember being with her.

He blinked open his eyes. Leesia stood over him, looking concerned.

"Sorry. I must have fallen asleep," he said quickly checking his watch. Half an hour had passed.

She spoke to him softly. "Are you sure you are well?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just tired that's all." he smiled trying to reassure her.

She nodded but her expression told him she was not convinced. "I have finished here. Let us go home so you can rest."

He gladly agreed, an early night sounded perfect to him. He paid for her dress and his tuxedo, which Suzy had wrapped in garment bags, so he couldn't peep at the contents of one of them and, after thanking her, the couple left the store.

…

He pulled his vintage Jeep up outside the house and grabbed the two garment bags from the backseat before he helped Leesia out of the high passenger seat.

Inside, she purposely took his hand and led him into the bedroom. "Hormones?" he quizzed with a grin.

"No," she said firmly, taking the garment bags from him and hocking them inside the closet. "You need rest."

"Okay, but first-" He fished inside his pocket and retrieved the small blue box he had purchased while she was being fitted for her dress. "I wanted to do this right."

She gasped as he dropped to one knee in front of her, opening the box to revel a solitaire diamond ring.

His baby blues twinkled as he gazed up at her, lovingly. "When I lost Sha're I never thought my broken heart would be healed, but when you came into my life you gave me more than I could ever hope or dream for. You not only healed my heart, but you also completed it. No matter what languish I can't find words good enough to express how much you mean to me, but can you accept this small token of my love for you?"

"Oh Daniel." She dropped down in front of him, peppering light kisses on his face. "I understand the feeling. I too love you more than I can express."

He took hold of her left hand gently and slid the ring onto her third finger.

She held her hand aloft, admiring the way it glistened in the light. "It is beautiful. Thank you. You did not have to do this," she said through a smile.

"What kind of man would I be if I didn't get my fiancée an engagement ring?" he said and lost the battle to fight back a yawn.

The look of concern was back on her face. She lightly tugged at him, encouraging him towards the bed. He silently agreed to her request and pulled off his clothes as he went, leaving them where they fell. He would pick them up later.

Daniel removed his glasses, placed them on the bedside cabinet and rubbed his drowsy eyes before gratefully slipping into bed. The cool crisp sheets were welcoming to his warm, tired body. He sighed as his weary muscles took comfort in the yielding softness of the bed. He yawned and stretched out, getting comfortable.

On the opposite side of the bed, Leesia joined him. "Are you sure you are feeling well?" Leesia asked him again, noticing his tired sigh.

He rolled onto his side to face her and draped his arm lightly over her swollen abdomen, feeling the tingles flow freely between them. "Nothing a good nights sleep wont cure."

He graced his fingers over her and felt her stomach twitch. They both jumped in response.

"Did you feel that?" she asked.

"That was her?" he asked smiling.

"Presumably that means she is ready to be born."

Daniel's eyes widen and his jaw dropped in shock. He silently stuttered a 'what' before he swallowed and finally managed to choke out "Now?"

"No, but soon." she said with a small chuckle at his startled appearance.

"We should go and see Janet." he was instantly out of bed. He glanced at his watch. Janet would still be there, if they hurried.

"Daniel," Leesia moaned from the bed. "I am fine. Your baby is fine. You however are exhausted! I shall see Janet first thing in the morning. Come back to bed."

"You're sure?"

She smiled; for once, it seemed he wasn't going to be as stubborn as usual. "Positive." she said holding her arms out to him.

He couldn't resist that silken invitation, crawled over the bed so he could lean over her, and kiss those tempting lips. "I love you," he said before he turned his attention back to her stomach and planted another kiss on the summit. "Daddy loves you too," he whispered to his un-born baby.

…

The alarm beeped its irritatingly loud interruption into the peace of slumber land. Leesia forced her sleepy eyes open. She focused her energy and the beeping died. Next to her Daniel still slept, though he looked too tense to be sleeping peacefully. She decided not to wake him yet, grabbed her clothes and tiptoed to the bathroom.

The smell of freshly brewed Sumatra Mandheling coffee wafted threw the house and woke him half an hour later. He stretched, sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. He felt worse than he had done the night before, even though, according to the alarm clock he had had nine hours sleep. It didn't make sense. He needed to talk to someone about this and made a mental note to speak to Sam when he got into the SGC.

He threw his robe around him and wondered through and found Leesia in the kitchen, preparing waffles. He stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, stroking the taught skin that peeked out from under her vest top. "Morning." he said as he hid a kiss on the side of her neck.

She leaned back against him. "Morning. Are you feeling better?" she asked, even though she could hear in his voice that he was still tired.

He debated lying and saying he was fine for a nanosecond, but realised that it was futile. If he looked, half as bad as he felt there was no point and she wouldn't thank him for it. "No," he confessed, dropping his chin to rest on her shoulder. "But that will help." he added eyeing the coffee she had made for him. He reluctantly let go of her and poured himself a cup.

"Were you experiencing strange dreams again?" she inquired as he took a big gulp.

"Yeah." he said adding a third sugar and taking a bigger swig.

"What happens in them?"

"It's not important," he told her. "They're just dreams, nothing to worry about. You didn't have to do this." he said gesturing to the breakfast she presented in front of him.

"I believed you would require the energy."

She watched him finish and clear his plate, with a knowing smile playing across her face. "You really have no intention of telling me the significance of this day, do you?"

He turned to face her, a little stunned, as she stepped up close. "Who told you?"

"Sam did when we went shopping the other week. That was when I got you this," she said as she took hold of his hand and slipped an assorted coloured beaded bracelet over his wrist, next to his watch. "I could not decide which gem would be most beneficial so I opted for one of each. Each one is has a meaning. This one," she pinched a purple bead. "Is for healing of the mind, body and spirit. This one." she interacted a pink one. "Is for all matters of the heart," she pointed out each one in turn. "Health, intelligence, courage, protection, PMS-"

"PMS?" he questioned with raised eyebrows.

"I thought it may help with your stubborn side." she smiled and continued around the band. "Happiness, wealth, success, strength. Although, as a linguist, I believe this one may be a little pointless," she added pinching hold of the final one, a dark blue one. "It is for aiding communication."

He laughed and she turned his head towards her gently and pressed a sweet kiss on his lips. "Happy Birthday, Daniel."

…

Leesia tapped on the doorframe of the Majors lab. "Sam, may I speak with you?"

"Of course." Sam smiled. "Is something wrong?" she couldn't help but notice the look of deep concern on the former Ancients face.

"I am getting increasingly concerned about Daniel." Leesia told her. "He is fatigued all the time at the present yet he is sleeping more than I. No matter how much sleep he gets, he always wakes un-rested. He tells me he is dreaming but will not divulge the nature of these dreams. I know they are not nightmares."

"How do you know that?" Sam inquired.

Leesia thought for a long second, wondering if it was right to be speaking to Samantha about this. It was of a sensitive nature and Daniel was a private person. However, Samantha was his friend, he trusted her, so, she decided, she should also.

"He speaks in his sleep when he is having nightmares," she told the Major. "It wakes me. Sometimes he calls for his parents, more often it is for Sha'ra. Usually I talk to him and it calms him enough for him to sleep peacefully once again but these dream are not the same."

"You can't coax him out of them?" Sam asked.

"He is not rousing me," she said exasperatedly. "And he isn't talking to me when he is awake either. He is shutting me out, preventing me from helping him once again."

Sam never made it her business to interfere in other peoples relationships, but she could see how anxious this was making Leesia and she knew how stubbornly tight-lipped Daniel could be. He believed that, because it was Sarah he was dreaming of, Leesia would get jealous. But mere seconds ago she had told Sam that she knew he dreamt of Sha'ra and there was not even a hint of jealousy in her tone, only love and concern for Daniel.

"His dreams are of Sarah, an ex-girlfriend of his, who has since been taken as a host of a Goa'uld."

"Osiris." Leesia nodded. "Daniel spoke of her before. He wished to be able to save her. Is that why it is troubling him?"

"That's what I thought, but he says things are different. The tablet about the lost city is there. He thinks that there's a chance the location could be hidden in his subconscious and he's trying to translate it."

"I guess it is possible, but I strongly doubt it. If that where the case then I would remember." seeing Sam confused expression Leesia explained. "When Daniel descended it was not through choice and his memories were taken from him. I retook human form as a last resort to escape punishment. I couldn't risk losing him. Not again. I knew I would have to lose a bulk of my memories in human form. I gave up everything before I met him. So unlike Daniel I still have some memories of being an Ancient."

"He has remembered something from when he was ascended." Sam argued.

"Yes." Leesia sounded proud. "My Daniel would find a loop hole. He is so determined. Or there is a possibility that Oma had something to do with that."

"You should talk to him."

"I agree. I do not understand his reluctance to do so." Leesia looked sad and thoughtful.

"He just doesn't want to trouble you with all this while you're pregnant."

"Perhaps," Leesia sighed sounding unconvinced.

"Please don't think that because he spoke to me and not you had anything to do with how much he trusts you. He was only worried that you would be jealous or read something more into it."

"Oh, no Samantha I would not think that. I am relived that he has someone he can confide in. He has spent too much of his life feeling alone. You are family to him and for that I can only be happy."

…

The bright flash woke Daniel. He sat bolt upright, breathing heavily. However, the bedroom was dark and empty. That was just too real for comfort.

His sudden movement woke Leesia instantly. "Daniel, what is it?" She sat up and put her hand on his shoulder. "What is wrong?"

He turned to her mutely, unsure how to answer her.

She eyed him closely; frowning as if searching for the answers, he was unwilling to give her in his eyes. Suddenly her frown deepened and she craned her neck closer to him. "What is that?" she gently took his chin and turned his head away from her.

"What?" Daniel asked now unable to see her face.

He felt her lightly run her fingers across his temple and he winced with a quick inhale as a sharp stab shot threw his head. "Ow."

The bedside light flicked itself on as Leesia climbed out of bed as speedily as she could. She retrieved a hand held mirror and handed it to him. "Look." she told him.

Taking the mirror from her, he looked at himself and instantly saw what she had spotted. Between his eye and hairline was a small red mark, around it a precise circle of raw looking skin, a perfect telltale sign of the use of a Goa'uld memory device.

"I do not think those dreams are entirely yours," she said.

"Osiris." he said as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "She wants the gate address to the lost city."

…

Daniel watched with a sharp eye as the team installed the cameras around his home. Keeping a mental list of how many there was and where they were located. When this was all over, he did not wish anyone accidentally viewing anything that happened between Leesia and himself within these walls.

It had not taken long for the team to form a plan. The rest of SG-1 would wait in the surveillance van and block the beam once Osiris was in, preventing her escape. They would wait as long as possible before taking her down with tranquillizer darts, giving as much time as they could for Daniel to finish his translation of the tablet. The Tok'ra were even on stand by to remove the Goa'uld from Sarah should the plan wield results. The trap was set; all that was needed now was for Daniel to act as the bait.

"When they're done I want you to go back to the SGC with them. You'll be safe there," he told Leesia.

"What! No I am staying with you," she said.

"You can't stay. You're pregnant"

"I am aware of that. And that fact does not change what I wish to do, or who I am."

"What if you get hurt?" Daniel argued.

"What if you get hurt because I was not here...or one of the others."

"That's a risk I'm prepared to take," he told her matter-of-factly.

"Well I am not!" she shouted at him with enough force to cause the bulb above there head to brighten considerable before winking out and Daniel heard one of the men grumble about loosing audio from the feeds.

He could see the fear that flashed through those beautifully warm eyes as she realised what she had done. She had to keep control of her abilities right now; his life may depend on the technology in this room tonight. With a scowl, he took her by the elbow, a little harder than he meant to, and lead her out the back door into their garden.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to lose my temper; I just know I can help."

"I'm sure you could but Leesia this is what we do. We have to take these risks for the greater good. Translating this tablet could mean the location of the lost city. Not to mention that we could actually free Sarah and kill Osiris."

"I know." Leesia agreed, her tone still determined. "It is for those reasons that I wish to assist you all."

"No," Daniel said shaking his head. "This is our job, not yours. We take the risk and get the job done, whatever it takes. But however important it may be I will not risk you for anything."

"She may become suspicious if I am not there." she continued her argument.

"Dammit Leesia, I'm not having you within a hundred feet of a Goa'uld!" Daniel snapped, losing his temper with her persistence.

"Daniel the last time you refused to let me assist you I lost you for months and when I got you back you had no recollection as to who I was! I should not have to explain why I wish to stay with you."

He sighed, his chin dropping to his chest as he did and Leesia assumed she had won the argument, until he trumped her.

His voice was low and soft, but full of sorrow. "And I shouldn't have to say why I don't what you near a Goa'uld after what happened with Sha're!" He knew that it was a guilt-trip-cheep-shot but he was not below taking it if it meant keeping Leesia and his baby safe.

Leesia sadly conceded. "May I at least be permitted stay in the surveillance van? I will be less apprehensive if I can at least know what is happening."

He did not like it. It was still to close to the Goa'uld as far as he was concerned. Hell, the same planet was too close, but he agreed to her terms. Stress was not good for the baby. If she weren't pregnant, he would have probably asked one of the SF's to take her back to Cheyenne Mountain, by force if they had to, whatever it took to keep her safe. He had lost his former wife to the Goa'uld and he could not bear it if history repeated itself.

…

Miles above them in a cloaked cargo ship Anubis' face rippled on the surface of the long-range communication ball that Osiris held.

"He is close," the Goa'uld inside the body of Sarah Gardner was telling him, "Tonight should be the last night."

"Good. When it is done bring the woman back with you."

"My lord?" Osiris questioned. Anubis had not shown any interest in anything other than the gate address to the lost city of the Ancients in all of the reports before.

"I believe she holds the key for which I have been searching." Anubis said leaving Osiris wondering what possible interest the Goa'uld could have for Doctor Jackson's wife.

…

Jack was already getting itchy feet. Unlike his Jaffa friend the idea of a stake out was not fun to him, it was downright dull. After glancing around the inside of the van and finding nothing to occupy him, he turned his attention to his friend on the monitor. Daniel was sprawled on his back on top of the covers in his bedroom. His eyes closed and hands fisted either side of his head. He looked peaceful enough, probably already asleep.

"Hey Daniel… You asleep yet?" he whispered into the microphone.

"Yes, Jack. I'm fast asleep," the archaeologist replied sarcastically.

Sam and Leesia exchanged a look and a small giggle.

Teal'c cheerfully pulled the white cardboard box loaded with assorted donuts to him. After opening the lid and examining the colourful treats, he offered the box to Sam. She smiled and declined. He leaned over her to present the box to Jack.

"What you got there?" the Colonel took a good look, before also turning down the offer. After his one attempt last year to take a spoonful of ice cream from the Jaffa he now knew better than to take food from him. "No, thanks. I'll pass."

Teal'c inclined his head and turned to offer the box to Leesia.

"Careful there T! Offering those to a pregnant lady…you could lose a finger." Jack teased.

Leesia shot him with a dirty look before accepted a donut from the offered box. "Thank you Teal'c."

"I believe your theory to be incorrect O'Neill." the Jaffa said, causing Sam to hide yet another giggle.

The bright white flash drew the group's attention back to the screen showing the bedroom. Osiris stood leaning over Daniel. The ribbon device shone briefly before they heard the high-pitched buzz and snap of the memory device, as Osiris placed it to Daniel's temple.

Sam activated the frequency jamming equipment and Jack and Teal'c left to get into position inside the house, but through all the activity Leesia kept her eyes fixed on the monitor, feeling the panic grip her. She took some deep breaths and forced herself to calm down; she could not risk losing control of her abilities around all of this technology.

"He'll be okay." Sam assured her seeing her worried expression. "Look Jack and Teal'c are in position." She pointed to another monitor showing Jack in the hallway just outside the bedroom, the mass of Teal'c behind him. "Anything happens they'll be in there straight away."

Leesia nodded knowing Sam spoke the truth. His friends cared for him deeply; they would not let anything happen to him. She relaxed a little, but refused to take her eyes off the screen. It was going to be a long night.

They waited and watched for hours, hardly moving. Neither of them recognized when the sun climbed into the sky, until Jack's whispered voice, from the radio, broke into the silence.

"Carter."

"She's still in there sir." Sam replied.

"How much longer do we wait?"

"I don't know. Daniel must be getting close."

"How unfortunate for you." Osiris' voice sounded through the speakers. Just before the fluctuating hum of the ribbon device as she held her hand over Daniel's forehead. The bright yellow glowed over his face. He remained perfectly still, captured in the paralysing effects of the beam.

"She's killing him!" Leesia said at the same time as Sam instructed the others to move in.

"Leesia wait!" she called as the pregnant woman darted from the van. The major was hot on her heals and pulled her behind the van just as the energy blast from Osiris' ring weapon hit the ground, where the pair of them had been standing moments before. Using the hood of the van to cover her Sam took aim at the strawberry blonde Goa'uld with the Zat. The shot rippled up and over Osiris' personal force field, leaving her completely unharmed.

"Again, Sam." Leesia told her wearing a look of deep concentration.

As Sam lined up her second shot, she saw the force field ripple with static, as if it was faltering, Leesia's ability causing interference in the power. Sam's second shot hit its target and Osiris went down. Instantly Leesia was up and rushing to the house, dodging past a stunned looking Jack. She heard him ask, "What happened?", but she did not wait to hear the response. She needed to see that Daniel was okay with her own eyes.

In the bedroom, Daniel pulled the memory device off his temple. "Argh!" he groaned in pain. Though the disc was off the stabbing throb remained.

"Will you be all right Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked, the concern for his friend clear in his deep voice.

"Yeah, go, go, go." he insisted.

While panting against the pain, he pushed the heal of his palms to his eyes, until white flashes assaulted the darkness. It only served to make the pain more intense.

Small, gently hands pulled his away from his face.

"It is over, Daniel." Leesia said soothingly with her silken voice. "You can rest now."

"And Sarah?" he asked urgently.

"-Is being taking back to the SGC. There is no need to worry."

"I should be there. She doesn't know anyone and she'll be scared."

"You will. Later. Now you must rest. Your body is exhausted."

"I'll be fine," he argued, though he knew she was right. How many nights had he not been able to sleep suitably because of these dreams? Five? Or was it six? It seemed longer. That coupled with the memory device leaving a stabbing pain through his temple and the effects of the ribbon device burning through his head, his brain felt like it was fighting to get out of his skull.

"Daniel, feel me." she said her hand cupping his cheek.

He didn't understand. Fatigue was clouding his thoughts. He frowned at her and was about to question her meaning when he noticed what was missing from her delicate touch. _The tingles._

"You are too drained to share your energy. You need to rest. Your baby needs you to rest." he allowed her to ease him onto his back.

His heavy eyelids closed finally. "Tell the others I couldn't do it. The translation I…"

"Shh. Sleep now."

Her small, warm, now tingle-less hands stroked his face, his neck, his hair. Smoothing away his pain and pushing him into the required tranquillity of a long awaited dreamless sleep.

When she saw his lips slightly part and the slow steady rhythm of his breath mutely whistle threw them she knew he was asleep. It was over and he was safe. She smiled.


	12. Chapter 11 In Keeping With Traditions

**A.N~ **This chapter will take me up to where I was before I deleted, editing and reposted, so for those of you re-reading it will ALL be new after this one.

To Greb, Thank you for your kind words and support and yes, the bracelet was in reference to one that I saw Daniel start wearing during Chimera (well spotted), but I had no idea that it was actually one of Michael's. I thought it's appearance deserved an explanation and that was what came to mind. As for Pete being left out, there is a reason for that…but you'll have to wait and see, Mwahaha.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven - In Keeping With Traditions.<strong>

"I'm back." Daniel called as he closed the front door behind him.

There was no reply, but he heard the pearls of female laughter coming from out the back. He tossed his keys into the bowl on the side board and followed the pleasant sound out into the rear garden.

Sam and Leesia sat on the lawn chairs at the rear of the garden enjoying what remained of the afternoon sun. He jogged down the garden to join them.

"How is Sarah?" Leesia asked instantly as he approached. He saw the look of concern shine through her warm eyes and wondered why he had ever presumed she would be jealous. She was the most understanding person he had ever met. He inwardly scolded himself for not giving her enough credit.

Daniel touch a kiss on her cheek, a second on the summit of her prominent bulge, before settling himself down with the ladies. "Good," he told her. "Very good, actually. Better than anyone could have hoped for. It's been a lot for her to deal with, but I think she's going to be okay. She's flying home tomorrow morning."

"So she wont be coming to the wedding." Sam said.

"No, I think she's seen enough of the SGC in the last few days. She keen to get home and back on with her life."

"So, what's going on?" Daniel asked, raising his eyebrows questionably towards Sam.

"What makes you assume there's something going on?" the look of innocence Sam wore would have fooled anyone else, but Daniel had known her for too long.

"Because I can count the number of times you've been over here socially on one hand. In fact, I can count it on one finger. Unless you count helping me move on as a social event of course. In which case we can boast your total to a massive… oh, two. If I didn't know how much of a workaholic you were I might take it personally." Daniel teased.

"I've only just got here." Sam told him. "I came to keep Leesia company tonight."

"Tonight?" he quizzed, his forehead creased.

Both woman wore matching hesitant smiles.

"Jack is on his way over." Sam told him, looking apologetic. "He's appointed himself your best man and has decided that whether you like it or not you're having a stag night."

"This is a joke right?" Daniel asked with a hopeful raise of his eyebrow, but Sam merely shock her head with a pained smile.

"Oh, god. Where's he dragging me to?"

Two pairs of shoulders rose and fell in synchronised shrugs.

"I do not understand why this is so bad." Leesia said with a curious tone. "I am confident you will have a good time together."

"You wont be saying that when he drags me to jell-o wrestling again."

"Jell-o wrestling?" Leesia asked.

"Again?" Sam said, her eyes wide, a smile threatening to break her rebuffed look.

"Ermm," Daniel's cheeks blushed pink and he pushed his fingers through his hair. Jerking his thumb over his shoulder he told the woman. "I better go get ready." as he made his escape back into the house. He heard the pearls of laughter return as he wondered through to the bathroom.

By the time he wondered back out into the living room fifteen minutes later Jack and Teal'c had already arrived.

"If you're going to be my best man you'll be needing this." Daniel said handing Jack the box that housed the ring he had chosen for Leesia.

Jack flipped open the lid "Nice." he said, snapping it back shut and hiding it in his pocket. "So you ready to go?" he asked as Daniel fumbled the last of his shirt buttons closed.

"As I'll ever be." Daniel sighed.

Jack shock his head in an unbelieving fashion. "Crumbling down, million year old ruin and you run in without a second thought for safety and yet the prospect of a night out with your friends fills you with dread."

"I know what to expect with the ruins."

"More than me?" Jack asked, doing his best to appear hurt.

"Just promise me one thing." Daniel shifted his weight uncomfortably. "No strippers."

"God, Daniel. You really think I'd do that?"

Daniel eyeballed him over the top of his glasses. "Jack."

"You know I'm actually hurt that you would think that."

"Jack."

He shot out an aggravated sigh. "There's not going to be any strippers Daniel."

"Swear?" Daniel's eyebrows raised in question.

"For crying out loud. Yes, alright, I swear there's not going to be any strippers."

Daniel nodded finally excepting Jack was telling him the truth. He turned to Leesia.

"Have a good time." she told him.

"Uh huh." Daniel said, sounding doubtful. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. He only intended it to be a quick goodbye kiss, but as the tingles assaulted his lips he couldn't help but deepen it.

"Okay break it up you two, you're making Teal'c uncomfortable."

The Jaffa's raised eyebrow made Leesia think otherwise, but she reluctantly broke away from Daniel anyway, with a bashful smile.

"Okay let's get this show on the road." Jack said clapping his hands together.

"Oh wait, before you go." Leesia darted from the room, returning moments later with a small box in hand. She handed it over to Jack. "You will need this tomorrow."

"What's that?" Daniel asked.

"A surprise." Leesia told him. "Do not let him see." she said to Jack.

"No problem." he said as he tucked it safely into his pocket and herded the other two men out the door. "Come on, times-a-wasting. Places to go, people to see." but as he was leaving Jack paused. He waited for Daniel to be out of earshot, turned to Sam and whispered. "Can you cancel the stripper for me?"

"Of course, sir." Sam chuckled.

…

"Ready for your hen night?" Sam asked, spreading a towel across Daniel's dinning room table so not to damage the surface should any of the beauty products she had brought over get spilled. "I have to warn you, I'm not very good with the whole 'girly' thing."

"Hen night?" Leesia question, her head tilted at an angle, as she sat opposite Sam studying the many bottles, packs, tubs and instruments that she was pulling out of her bag and arranging on the table top.

"Oh, sorry I keep forgetting your not local." Sam smiled. "It's a term we use for the night before the wedding, the men have a stag and the women have a hen night."

"Oh, I see." she said picking up an eyelash curler and turning it over in her hand looking confused and apprehensive. "Should it not be called a 'Doe night'?" Leesia inquired.

Sam thought about it for a second before agreeing with her. "I guess it should. I don't know why it isn't. Daniel may know."

"I will have to remember to ask him when he returns."

"I take it you didn't have a Hen night before then."

"No, Daniel was very insistent on keeping with as many Earth traditions as possible, but he failed to mention Stag and Hen nights."

Sam smiled, judging by Daniel's reaction to his stag night it was hardly surprising that he had kept her in the dark before. "Shall we start with nails. I usually just keep mine short, but I think I can manage a decent manicure."

"I have no experience so I will let you decide. I trust you know what is best." Leesia laid her hands on the towel and Sam set to work, shaping Leesia nails to equal lengths and rounding the edges.

A comfortable silence fell over the friends and Leesia observed her friend knowingly.

"Something is weighing your thoughts, do you wish to share?" Leesia asked, breaking the silence.

Sam let out a short laugh. "Wow, Daniel was right, nothing does get past you does it."

"Seeing changes in ones I care about is not difficult."

"I was just wondering if you ever regret giving up your Ascension? Don't get me wrong, we're all glad you're here. The change you've caused in Daniel is…well, it's amazing, I didn't even know he had dimples. But, do you ever wish it didn't have to be that way?"

"No." Leesia stated simply. "There are many paths in life, which one you follow is your choice, but I found that only when you follow your heart can you find paradise."

Sam nodded thoughtfully.

"But you are not talking about Daniel and I, are you?"

Sam blushed. "You saw through that too, huh?"

Leesia nodded. "And not just from you. He feels the same. I get the impression that you both have been denying your feelings for each other for a long time."

"There's nothing we can do about it. Our jobs wont allow it. It's just seeing what you and Daniel have overcome to be together has made me think about it more."

"Your time will come," Leesia said eloquently, "but when it does I believe it will have to be you that has to be the strong one. Trust me I speak from experience. Jack and Daniel may be different in many ways, but they also share a great number of similarities. They are both so ready to except self sacrifice that they do not seem to realise the potential for happiness in their lives. Given the chance they would deny themselves the opportunity. I believe you have the inner strength needed to fight for what you want rather than accept the situation as inevitable."

"I can't imagine Daniel and you having any problems getting together. You seem so well matched."

"Daniel may be a linguist and able to communicate in many different way, in many different languages, but like Jack he finds it problematic to articulate his feelings. As we were ascended at the time I was able to feel them for myself, but I imagine had that not been the case it would have been quite arduous."

"Did you ever find out the sex?" Sam asked, gesturing toward Leesia's bump, needing to change the conversation.

Leesia spotted Sam's ploy, but not wishing to make her friend uncomfortable, she allowed the shift in topic. "No, but ever since Daniel recalled one of his memories he is completely convinced we're having a girl. To hear him speak of it you would believe he had an epiphany."

"What would you like?"

"I do not have a preference. It would be wonderful to have a girl and have Daniel's -"

"Epiphany?" Sam inserted with a chuckle.

Leesia giggle. "Yes. To have his epiphany prove correct, but I would also like to see a little boy toddling around the house, with all his fathers looks and qualities."

"You'll have to get him a sand pit and hide some little trinkets in there for him to find."

Leesia smiled as the thought played across her mind; seeing a little boy, a perfect miniature Daniel, rushing in through the French doors, his baby blue eyes twinkling with delight as he excitably showed his parents what he had 'discovered' on his 'dig'. "That is a wonderful idea, Sam. I shall have to insure it is followed through."

"Damn, I shouldn't have said anything, that would have made a perfect first birthday present for him, or her."

"Do not permit Daniel to hear you doubt his epiphany." Leesia warned with a giggle.

"Duly noted. Have you thought of any names?"

"We have not settled on any yet. Jack did suggest Lara or Indiana, but Daniel did not seem like he approved of the choices, though I cannot understand why. They both sounded pleasant to me."

Sam laughed out loud. "I think Jack must have been teasing. They're famous fictional archaeologist." she explained to the confused former Ancient. "Lara Croft and Indian Jones."

"Oh, I see. I think it is going to take me some more time to fully understand Jack's particular brand of humour."

"It does take some getting used to." Sam agreed. "Do you think you'll have any more. Maybe give little Lara a brother?"

Leesia smile grew enormous as she grazed her hand softly across her stomach. "You know Daniel once told me that one of his biggest regret after his ascension was that he never became a father. As ascended beings the prospect of becoming parents was not a possibility. Not a very likely one anyway. There is nothing I would like more than to bear Daniel's children and give him the family he has always desired."

…

"Hey, Honey, he's home." Jack was grinning a bit too widely.

Looking over his shoulder Leesia screwed up her face in confusion as she watched her giddy lover climbing out of Jack's truck…ass first. "What's wrong with him?" she asked, sounding bewildered.

"Nothing. He's fine." Jack assured her, as Daniel fell backwards out of the vehicle landing on his aforementioned backside on the front lawn with a loud thud and a small groan.

Teal'c circled the truck, looking down disapprovingly at the archaeologist as he attempted to right himself, before taking hold of Daniel's belt and hauling him back onto his feet rather unceremoniously.

"You are incorrect O'Neill." Teal'c said, as Jack and Leesia sidestepped out of the way to make room for the Jaffa who was now half dragging half carrying Daniel into the front room, where he dumped him facedown on the couch. There was a muffled " 'ank you 'eal'c' heard from the cushions.

"Daniel Jackson is currently suffering from impaired vision, speech and coordination."

"I can hear you, you know." Daniel griped, as he stretched his arms to lift himself into a wobbly push-up, attempting to right himself.

"However his hearing remains unaffected, thankfully." Teal'c said tonelessly.

Jack leaned back to he could look the big man in the eye. "Was that a joke?"

"Indeed, O'Neill." he said with rare smile.

Concern was engraved on the former Ancients face. "What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing he's just plastered." Jack told her, she frowned at him, her head tilted to the side, not understanding. "Plastered, as in tanked, hammered, smashed, legless, off his head, under the influence, rat are-"

"-He is intoxicated through the consumption of alcohol." Teal'c said interrupting Jack's ramble. "There is no need for concern. Daniel Jackson will be suitably recovered for your marriage ceremony in the morning."

"How much has he consumed?" Leesia asked.

"Four beers." Jack told her.

"As many as four, sir?" Sam said was a knowing smile. The archaeologist low tolerance for alcohol was well known.

"Yeah I know I should have cut him off after his second," Jack said. "but in my defence it _was_ his only stag night. I figured one for each stag night he should have had and one extra for luck."

"That only makes three." Daniel argued.

"Nope, I'm with Leesia on this one. If she says you were married before, then you were married before." Jack insisted. "Looks like third ones a charm."

"He is correct Daniel." Leesia said. "I seem to remember you were very insistent on keeping to as many traditions as possible, but you did not even mention a stag night."

Daniel frowned at her. "Who shide are you on?" he slurred.

She turned to the others, seeking an explanation for his distorted speech. "I did not realise that beer was that potent."

"It's not." Jack told her with a quick shake of his head. "That's just our Danny boy, he never can handle his booze."

"So, what happened, sir?" Sam asked.

"Well the start of the night was taken up with him trying to convince us that Leesia was actually the reincarnated version of Aphrodite which then turned into a detailed explanation of his meaning of life stuff." Jack made speech marks with his fingers. "Complete with peanut atoms and bottle top beans."

"Beings." Daniel insisted finally managing to right himself on the sofa.

"Whatever, anyway I had to destroy about a thousand napkins that he made notes on, most of which where classified. Although I might keep this one." Jack pulled a single napkin from his pocket. Four figures where crudely drawn on it. The first was a stick figure with a bulbous head and huge almond shaped eyes. The second had what appeared to be a tree or plant growing out of its head. The third looked like a squid with a face and the forth resembled an Ewark character from Starwars. The napkin had been entitled 'The Four Races' in Daniel's untidy scrawl.

"I think Thor for one would be interested so see how he is viewed. The rest of the evening he followed around some red-head insisting that it was Hathor and demanding to know why she wasn't dead."

"I'm telling you it was her." Daniel insisted.

"Yeah, right." Jack said sarcastically.

"If that wasn't Hathor why was would she be dressed like that huh?"

"She was in fancy dress, Daniel. She was meant to be Cleopatra."

Sam burst out laughing. "I wish I'd been there."

Jack rounded on the giggling Major. "Oh no you don't, trust me. We had to leave after that, before she started to think her new stalker was a threat and called the cops."

Still chuckling Sam pulled Leesia aside and lowered her voice in the hope that Daniel couldn't hear her. "Okay, few things you'll need to know to cope with drunk Daniel. Rule one; Don't let him drink any coffee. He'll be hyped enough as it is without the caffeine.

"Rule two." Jack interrupted. "Don't let him goad you into a debate. I mean it. If you think he's stubborn normally…" Jack shuddered in mock fear. He tapped his watch. "There's only twenty-six hours till the wedding. It'll never be enough time."

Sam laughed and continued. "Rule three; He will have a hangover in the morning, but a couple of Paracetamol and some water should do the trick."

Leesia nodded, taking it all in.

"And no matter how much he begs, never ever fed him after midnight." Jack concluded with a taunting grin. "Right shall we leave the lovebirds to their last night of sin. Or before Daniel starts tossing his cookies."

"Oh cookies!" Daniel exclaimed excitably. He shot up from the sofa, somewhat unsteadily, stumbled past them and disappeared into the kitchen. Leesia and the remaining members of SG-1 could hear the banging and rustling sounds of his impulsive cookie hunt echoing through to the living room.

Jack and Sam rolled their eyes. Both hugged Leesia goodbye, Jack whispering a "Good luck." to her as he did, Teal'c merely nodded and they left.

In the kitchen every cupboard door was open, much of their contents strewn across the counter. Daniel was up on his toes trying to see into the very back of the topmost shelve. He huffed and started his search again, even checking under the sink this time, where only the cleaning supplies where housed. After finishing his second raid fruitlessly he turned to Leesia, disappointment shining on his pouting face. "We don't have any cookies do we?"

"I do not believe so." Leesia chuckled, slipping an arm around his waist. "How do you feel?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I'm fine." he answered, speaking way too quickly. His hands stroking her back. "I'm good, actually, really good." his speech slowed as he focused his attention elsewhere and his hands wondered lower, over her bottom. At the same time his mouth trailed slow kisses along her jaw, down her throat to the apex of her shoulder. "You're so goddamn sexy." he breathed into her skin. All thoughts of cookies disappeared in favour of devouring his sweet bride-to-be. "I need you. I have to have you, right now."

"Daniel?" It was not like him to be this forward. He was guiding her towards the bedroom.

"Hmm?" he asked, his mind fogged with lust. His mouth didn't leave her skin as his fingers began working off her clothes.

As his arms encircled her now naked torso the tingles stung into her deeply causing her to groan loudly in pleasure, stroking his ego and fuelling his desire.

Her fingers twining in his hair and she lifted his head so she could claim his lips with her own.

"I love you, Daniel." she sighed. He began fumbling off their remaining clothing.

"In Ancient." he pleaded. "It's such a turn on." he confessed in his drunken state.

Whatever the reason for his low levels of tolerance for alcohol so far she loved it. "Ego amor tua, Daniel." she said complying to his request. She felt him growing firmer against her thigh and smile at her newfound knowledge. She decided to test how far she could push this.

"Daniel," she leaned into him and whispered in his ear. "mia amator, ego deserde tuut suavior, tuut subblandior, tuut calor oris…" her tone turned into a seductive purr and she concluded. "Et ego deserde stupró tua."

He groaned and his knees went weak. "Your wish is my command."

…

The loud alarm Jack-hammered into his skull. It's pulsating buzzing pushing his hangover beyond his tolerance.

"Ow!" he groaned, burying his delicate head beneath the pillows. The cool underside providing some small relief.

A moment later the beeping feel silent. "Thank you." he sighed from his improvised refuge.

Leesia lifted the corner of the pillow so she could peek at him. He screwed up his eyes to defend them against the stabbing sunlight. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

He merely groaned and pushed the pillow back over his face.

"That good huh?" she asked.

She didn't get a reply, instead he draped his arm over the pillow, preventing her from lifting it again.

She muffled a giggle in her palm and climbed out of the bed. There was only one way guaranteed to coax him out of bed.

Five minutes later she was back and the aroma of his favourite coffee wafted through the bedroom. The scent tempting him out of his hiding place.

"That's cheating." He huffed in defeat, accepting the mug she offered to him.

"You will have to forgive me. I am not familiar with the rules, but Sam said this would help." Leesia said handing him two Paracetamol tablets.

"You're an angel." he said knocking them back gratefully with a swig of the coffee.

"I thought I was Aphrodite." she raised her eyebrows inquisitively.

He groaned, keeping his face hidden in his coffee mug as the memory of the night before came back to him.

"You need to get dressed. Sam will be here soon to pick me up."

"She will?"

"I intended to tell you last night but it proved difficult to converse with you while you were distracted."

He threw back the covers and frowned. "Why am I naked?" he asked. He didn't remember stripping and rarely slept in the nude. "Did we make love last night?"

"No. You got quite…" she paused thinking of the right word for his brazen attitude the previous night. "…lustful, but as soon as you fell upon the bed you passed out with your clothing around your ankles."

He groaned again and scrubbed his face roughly with his palms, vowing to himself to never touch beer again. "I'm sorry." he told her, but as he glanced at her he saw she was smiling.

"There is no need to apologise to me. I found the experience very informative. Although I do not understand why a perfectly intelligent human being would willingly get themselves into that condition."

"Willingly is not how I would put it."

"How would you put it then?"

"Jack made me?" he tried with a cheeky, childlike grin.

"Get dressed." she told him. "As much as I enjoy the sight of your naked form I do not believe that Sam will feel the same."

As he headed to the bathroom she took hold of his hips from behind, halting him. She leaned up on the tips of her toes so she could whisper in his ear. "Daniel, mia amour, hác nocta ego propono ut ador tua dónec tuut trancus palpitó penes désideró."

His breath caught in his throat as his body responded to her words. She peeked around him to see if her speech had had the desired effect. It had.

"That's not funny!" he shouted after her as she ran off giggling. "…I'm gonna hold you to that."

…

Daniel's heart thumped so hard it was threatening to beat its way out of his chest. He fiddled with his fingers nervously and took a deep breath.

Jack noticed his friends anxious appearance. "Why so tense? You've done this before."

"Well actually with Sha're I was married without even realising it and I don't remember marring Leesia before, so as far as I'm concerned this is my first time."

As the wedding march began his heart started pounding so loudly it nearly drowned out the music. Leesia slowly made her way down the isle towards him. He knew that image of her radiating beauty, with her eyes fixed on his and a smile tugging up the corners of her mouth as she made her way to join with him, would be tattooed onto his memory forever. He heard her give a tiny sigh of contentment was she arrived at the front and took hold of his hand. She was where she belonged, by his side.

As silence fell in the room the minister took her queue. "We are gathered here today to bless the union of Daniel and Leesia in matrimony. Marriage is a journey that comes with many climbs and descents, trips and…" the couple both were aware that the minister was speaking but her words were muted as they enjoyed the sight of each other. Daniel ran his thumb lovingly across the back of her smooth hand, sending a wave of the tingles up both their arms. They beamed at each other getting lost in the feelings. Luckily Daniel caught the end of the ministers speech. "…have written their own vows. Daniel?"

Daniel cleared his drying throat. He tried to forget about the others in the room, he wanted to say this only to Leesia. Gazing down on her he smiled and said. "Ego semper transeo astria porta ego adipiscor sensus stupor," he began in perfect Ancient, causing Leesia to gasp in surprise, then smiled, touched by his thoughtfulness. The minister stared in bewilderment, unsure of how to handle this. The guests chuckled. Beside Daniel, Jack smiled in amusement, he should have seen that coming.

"Agitatus viso quodcumque nos volo comperio. Sed sólum nunc ego sensus idem commotio nam revertor iter. Ego viso multi miraculum, unusquisque palléscó luí comparo tuus pulcritudo. Ego mortuus ut invenio tua sed ego gaudeo denuo quia solem cum ego apud tuus amplexus ego sum véré vivus. Ego prómissus ut done totus egomet in perpetuum."

The minister, who was stunned into silence, looked around for someone who could explain or translate and caught sight of the best man. Jack shrugged and shock his head, his gesture clearly saying that there was no point asking him, he was just as clueless as she was, before he prompted her to continue. Flustered, she turned to the bride. "Leesia?" she encouraged.

Leesia beamed back up at him and followed his lead, quickly able to translate her own vows into her natural language. As she spoke she studied his face very carefully, looking for any sigh that her idea had been successful. "Hoc ego voluntarius secundum tua ut tuus amacuse et comes ubícumque noster profectio potis duco ambo. Ut sum tuus asylum apud tempus deserde et tuus subsum apud tempus difficultas. Abs ego tua adeptus non sententia, tantum subsum et eetiumas. Etiamis nos muto quoties et tempusoria ego ador nam tua volo maneo cónstans. Ego libere eligo cohaereó meus animus, forma et anima ut tua et tua solus." she smiled as she concluded and noticed his expression change to one of deep thought, his eyes wonder up to the right.

The stunned minister turn her attention back to the groom. "Will you Daniel accept the vows that Leesia has made to you? Will you take her to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her and forsaking all others to be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

When he didn't respond to the ministers prompt Jack, easily recognising Daniel's lost-deep-in-thought- face, pocked him in the ribs.

"I will." Daniel said sounded a little started and smiling apologetically.

Happy that she could at least now understand what was being said the minister turned to Leesia and repeated the question to her. "Will you Leesia accept the vows that Daniel has made to you? Will you take him to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him and forsaking all others to be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will." Leesia said, the silk of her voice sending the words right to his heart.

The minister turned to Jack. "Do you have the rings?"

"Oh, yep." Jack reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out the small box. He handed Daniel the simple white gold band he had chosen for Leesia. He flashed her a peek at the inscription inside. In Ancient script it read; 'my love'.

They shared a smile as he took her left hand. Holding the ring to her finger he said. "I give you this ring as a symbol of our marriage. With my body I honour you. All that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you. Ego amor tua." he slide the ring up her finger until it found it's resting place. Daniel pulled her hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on top.

Leesia smiled warmly up at him, but as she took the second ring from Jack her smile changed to one Daniel recognised as one of mischief. She was up to something, the question was what?

Daniel didn't have to wonder for long. The ring she had chosen for him was a white gold band the same as hers, but this one housed nine trillion-shaped orange gems spaced evenly around its circumference. He chuckled as he took in the sight of the tiny representation of the Stargate, chosen by her to be his wedding band.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of our unity. May its presence on your hand serve always to remind you of my unending love and devotion. Ego amor tua quoque, mia pertinax maritus." She concluded.

"By the power enthroned to my by the state I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." the minister finished.

Leesia seemed to be glowing with happiness as he pulled her as tight to him as the roundness of her belly would allow and he kissed her, earning a cheer from their guests.

"Ladies and gentlemen I present to you Doctor and Mrs Jackson."

Unseen by anyone in the cheering and clapping crowd, the bright figure of Oma Desala smiled contently at the couple she had come to think of as her children. Happy that they had found each other once again. It had been very precarious for a while there and she had been worried for them, but all was now as it should be. Before she vanished she sent a silent hope to them. Wishing them all the luck and love they deserved.

Daniel and Leesia turned to their friends as husband and wife. Leesia was overwhelmed by the volume of people wishing them congratulations and hugging her. She hadn't thought there were this many people attending. Although that was probably due to the fact that she had only had her eyes on Daniel.

"I can't believe you done this." Daniel said as he grazed his finger over the jewels in his ring.

"You like it?" she asked.

"I love it. How did you come up with the idea?"

"Sam was telling me about Orlin. She said that he had made a jewel that symbolized her month of birth. She did not inform him that Emerald as he had created was generally thought of as to represent May and not December. When she was telling me this I thought it would be a nice personal touch for your ring to have your birthstone on it. I did not wish to repeat Orlins mistake so I was very thorough in my research."

Daniel eyed the ring. The jewels were a distinct yellow-orange and not bright red. He kept quite not wanting to hurt her feelings by telling her that she had also got it wrong.

"While many areas suggested that Ruby was the birthstone of July and also of the zodiac sign Cancer I discovered that some believe it to be Onix or Turquoise and many others. This would not do. I wish it to be correct and I got very disheartened with the idea. Then I thought of the other creation that Orlin had made for Sam."

"The Stargate in her basement." Daniel nodded, seeing where she was going. "You put two an two together and came up with this."

"Yes. I decided that a Stargate was a perfect and unique representation of you, as you were the one that opened it for your world and much more personal than that of a birthstone that you would share with approximately five hundred and twenty-six million others."

"Good point." he agreed.

"The jewels set in it are called Clinohumites. I thought them to be a ideal portrayal of the Stargate chevrons as like their real life counterparts these gems are also only found in two places on Earth. I also hoped it would remind you of me because had you not opened your Stargate we would never have met, when you are away it is the means for you to return to me and…" she paused for dramatic effect. "it was made by the Ancients."

He chuckled. "It's perfect. I can't thank you enough." he said pulling her closer and kissing her.

"You just did." she said with another of her mischievous smiles.

"Where did you find it?"

"I had some help from your friends."

"Speak of the devils." Daniel said as the rest of SG-1 joined the newlyweds. Drawn to each other like magnets. Their bond extended to their youngest members new bride.

"So vows in Ancient huh?" Jack said his eyebrows raised in question.

"Did you recognize any of it?" Daniel asked.

"No. Why?"

"Never mind."

"Why not English?" Jack asked.

"There were some things I wanted to say, but couldn't in front of the minister."

"Oh…" Jack nodded. "What kind of things?"

"Uh, you know, like the Stargate and um when I died." Daniel added, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his tux.

"Ah." Jack said with a slight nod of comprehension. "Of course that means that none of the rest of us could understand a word of it either."

"Yeah I realised that but," he shrugged his shoulders. "Needs must."

"Yeah. Sounded nice though, whatever it was you were saying." Jack said with a smile.

"Thanks." Daniel said.

Sam caught Leesia's eye and both women hid a giggle, wondering why it was so hard for men to just say what they mean. Jack was clearly fishing for the translation but wouldn't come out and ask for it and Daniel was no better, he either was oblivious to the fact or he was deliberately choosing to ignore it.

Either way Sam decided to end it. "What was it you said?"

Daniel smiled, trust it to be Sam to bail Jack out of his torment. "I said; Every time I go through the Stargate I do so with a sense of amazement, excited to see what we will find, but only now to I feel the same excitement for the return trip. I have witnessed many wonders, all of which pale to your beauty. I may have had to die to find you but I would gladly do it all again, because only when I'm in your embrace am I truly alive. I promise to give you all that I am forever."

"Sweet." Jack nodded.

"I can see why you couldn't say that in front of the minister." Sam said.

Teal'c looked between Daniel and Leesia knowingly. "I find it informative that both of you chose to pay homage to the Stargate, thus proving your compatibility for each other. Gifted brains think in a similar way."

"Great minds think alike, T." Jack corrected. "And speaking of, we know you said that you didn't want any gift but…" he pulled a small wrapped box from his pocket, as he did the other two also revealed decorated packages. "since when do we follow orders."

Seeing the flash of excitement in her eyes, Daniel nodded for her to open them. Leesia eagerly took up the first one, held out by Jack and ripped off the wrapping with ease. From inside she pulled a silver key attached to a key ring shaped like a trout. Both looked confused and turned to Jack for an explanation.

"It's the spare for my cabin by the lake." Jack told the perplexed couple. "I figured it'd be a while till you could go on a decent honeymoon and thought you could borrow the cabin for a weekend or something in the meantime."

"Jack." Daniel was touched. "Thank you."

"It's nothing." Jack grinned, waving away their gratitude. "I just didn't want to shop for a real gift."

The next box contained a ornate knife with a carved pearl handle.

"For the rite of oronac." Teal'c smiled and nodded.

Leesia gazed at the very sharp looking knife nestled in the tissue paper, looking confused. "Thank you Teal'c." she said politely returning his smile.

"Yes, thank you Teal'c!" Daniel snapped sarcastically. There was no way in hell that was going anywhere near him tonight. He shock his head at Leesia when she looked at him with questioning eyes. "I'll explain later." he whispered in her ear.

He took a large oblong box tied with a red ribbon. The label attached read: 'Congratulations. Open in private. Sam xx.'

"Thank you." he had a sneaky suspicion he knew what would be in that box.

…

With the chairs cleared out of the way Daniel lead his new bride onto the make shift dance floor.

She took his hand a little too confidently for a beginner and he looked at her for an explanation. "You insisted on this part before." she told him. "But this is a new song. I do not know this one."

"I thought the words were perfect." Daniel admitted, as the lyric began.

Every time our eyes meet

This feeling inside me

Is almost more than I can take

Baby when you touch me

I can feel how much you love me

And it just blows me away

I've never been this close to anyone or anything

"Except that one?" she asked.

He shock his head. "Including that one."

I can hear your thoughts

I can see your dreams

I don't know how you do what you do

I'm so in love with you

it just keeps getting better

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever

Every little thing that you do

Baby I'm amazed by you.

"You are correct. They are perfect." Leesia smiled, hearing the last line of the chorus. "You have chosen impeccably."

The smell of your skin

The taste of your kiss

"The way you whispered in the dark." Daniel said quietly to her, in time with the original words. Making his subtle change to the lyric. He was rewarded with one of her giggles that he loved.

Your hair all around me

Baby you surround me

You touch every place in my heart

Oh it feels like the first time every time

I wanna spend my whole life in your eyes

I don't know how you do what you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever

Every little thing that you do

Baby I'm amazed by you

Every little thing that you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever

Every little thing that you do

Baby, I'm amazed by you.

There were tears in her eyes when the song finished. He tilted her head up to him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded. Smiling, the tears broke free and made their decent down her cheeks. "It was beautiful." she said with a sniff.

He smiled back, holding her close. "I meant every word."

…

"So," Daniel turned to Leesia as he turned the key in the ignition. "Were you cheating or was using the same vows as our first wedding a plan to jog my memory?"

Leesia's mischievous grin was evident even in the failing light of the twilight. "I will admit that was my intention."

"You always refused to tell me anything." he was a little shocked.

"I still do, but even though I wont push you down your path that does not mean that I wont provide clues to help you along your way."

"I'm glad it worked. Though it is quite ironic." he said.

"How so?" she asked

"Well, they say the quickest way to find something you have lost is to replace it, but I would never have thought the same rule would apply to memories."

"How much of it did you remember?" she asked keenly. He could see her eyes sparkling brightly with interest out of the corner of his eye.

"Everything." he told her sneaking a peek at her reaction. "Bits of it came back to me throughout the day. Now I remember all of it. Our whole wedding, everything I was thinking about, how I was feeling, everything." he met her eyes with a grateful and serious expression on his face. "… And what you did before it."

A pink blush stained her cheeks as the corners of her mouth where tugged up in a heartfelt smile.

"Thank you." he said sincerely.

Her blush deepened. "It was nothing."

"It was everything." he corrected.

She hid her shyness behind a smile. "I insist that you tell me everything. Start at the beginning and do not leave any details out." she said with all the innocence of a child asking for a bedtime story. She was practically bouncing in her seat with glee and excitement.

"Okay." How could he not when she asked him like that, with her eyes twinkling with joy. "The first thing I remember was thinking…"

**A.N ~ **Sorry another cliffhanger. Don't hate me and please review as I may need your encouragement to get through the next chapter: as it will be Daniel telling the story I have decided to write it from his POV. This will be my first attempt at writing in this way and I have to admit, as it is not my usual style, I'm finding it challenging.

Thank you to 'PrincessBi*ch' for the song suggestion, I found the words perfect for Daniel and Leesia and Thank you to 'Hugesy' for your ideas for the stag night, couldn't have done it without you, X's to you both.


	13. Chapter 12 Flashback into the Abyss

**AN**~ **WARNING!** Mayor spoilers for Abyss! My first attempt at 1stPPOV so be nice please.

* * *

><p>(Deep-voiced-voice-over-guy: "Previously on Light God")<p>

"_Bits of it came back to me throughout the day. Now I remember all of it. Our whole wedding, everything I was thinking about, how I was feeling, everything." he met her eyes with a grateful and serious expression on his face. "… And what you did before it." _

_Her blush deepened. "It was nothing."_

"_It was everything." he corrected._

_She hid her shyness behind a smile. "I insist that you tell me everything. Start at the beginning and do not leave any details out." she said with all the innocence of a child asking for a bedtime story. She was practically bouncing in her seat with glee and excitement._

"_Okay." How could he not when she asked him like that, with her eyes twinkling with joy. "The first thing I remember was thinking…"_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten - Flashback into the Abyss<strong>

'_This is ridiculous! How is it possible to get butterflies when technically I don't have a stomach' _asI mused I realised that had been tapping my foot subconsciously. I stopped and huffed. Clearly I had some nervous energy that I needed to expel. I shouldn't be this nervous. I knew that. After all what was there to be nervous of? Getting married? Nope, done that before. Doubting her feelings for me? Nope, felt them for myself, they're pure as they come…So what was it? My foot started up again.

I was thinking back to my first marriage with Sha're a lot recently. It seemed like such a long time ago. Another lifetime in fact. Which I guess in some twisted way, it was. We had been married before I even realised it. _'Maybe the Aybdonians got it right'_. There was no chance to get nervous. No proposal, no engagement, no night before the wedding… No chance to miss her. Bingo! There it was, the reason for the tightness in my stomach. My apprehension. I missed her.

I just wasn't used to being alone anymore. Ever since I ascended I've always had company. The ancients (although not a very talkative bunch) always seemed to instinctively group together. Being parted from The Others, that I was used to. My connection to Oma and my views on interference, which I viewed as loudly as I could at every available opportunity, saw to that, but being completely alone was new. It made me uncomfortable. _'Only got myself to blame I suppose. Don't know why I insisted on this pointless tradition in the first place. Still, only another twenty-four hours to go.'_

Since my ascension I had spent nearly all of my time with Oma listening to her teachings and helping her cause. Learning how to walk that invisible line and how to assist others in their own ascension. I dedicated every moment to it, that is until I met Leesia.

The feelings between us had been instantaneous.

It wasn't love at first sight, because that would imply that it was only the mere sight of her that had sent my heart into spasm. No, this was love at first sense. Every sense I had was drawn to her. The way she looked, the way she smelled, the sound of her voice. Each pulled at me, but it was the instant that we had placed our palms together in the customary greeting that had truly blown my mind.

The Others closed off their emotions so a greeting like this between them had been nothing more than a slight warmth. The feelings nothing more than a polite smile would be. However, the feelings I got from her as the flow of our energies had sparked between us stunned me completely.

I had felt everything from her. Her passion, her calm understanding and a mischievous side that peaked my curiosity. I wanted, no I needed to know more.

Hesitantly I probed further into her soul. Feeling more than a little awkward, but she freely allowed my energies so deep within herself. Opening herself to me so wholly to all my curiosities that I found it hard not to real away when faced with such open honesty. She amazed me, fascinated me and I was coaxed further into the beauty of her spirit.

As I explored her being, I felt her wonder through mine. Gently delving into my soul. Spreading a comforting warmth through my whole being. A warmth that continued to grow exponentially the more of me she explored. The warmth was simply shocking in its innocence. Overwhelming in its intensity.

I noticed the moment she found my feelings towards her and I recoiled in embarrassment. I hadn't even said two words to this woman and yet here she was sensing my burning passion for her from deep within me. But as I did she brought her own feelings closer to the surface. Presenting them to me like a gift. Laid them bare before me and I instantly realised that they matched my own. Her energies tweaked inside me and began stroking away all my doubts and fears.

Just before we dropped our physical connect I felt a change. A shift inside myself, like my insides moving up a gear. Again I felt the need to recoil through the sheer intensity of the emotions. With her essence and mine merged together I was… whole…complete. With our spirits embraced with each others I had found my own personal euphoria and I knew that from that very moment I would always love her.

The whole exchange had lasted only a few seconds to everyone else, but to Leesia and I it seemed like a lifetime had just flown past us.

"Oh god." I had gasped staring in wonder.

"I know." she had agreed with a tremble.

From that moment we had barely been parted. Until now.

I huffed out a long sigh and tried to thrust my fists into my pockets, but failed. I looked down. These pants didn't have pockets. Another huff, this one out of annoyance and a small shift in my personal appearance and I was able to stuff my hands into the pockets I hadn't had moments ago. _'If only everything about being Ascended was that easy.'_

Why _had _I insisted on this stupid tradition? It was ludicrous considering the very nature of an Ancient wedding.

The Ascended thought of marriage a little differently from what I was used to. It was just a simple choice, literally the vows and that was it. No flowers, no cake, not even a set time or place. There was a lot to be say for the simplicity, but I wanted it to be special. Our feeling to each other were so complex and deep that to not make an event of our joining just seem…well, blasphemous. And so I had asked for a few changes. Happily, she had agreed. She was always eager to please me.

However, nearly all of the Earth traditions that I had considered where flawed in one mayor way. We were ascended being so physical objects were inane. Although it wasn't impossible to interact with them, they were unnecessary. That meant no rings. Drinking from the same cup also a no go. Even pushing cake into each others faces was out the window. No bouquet to throw or garter to flick. So I had embraced each and every single tradition that we could follow.

First thing I had done was set a date, time and place for the 'wedding' (Whatever it was to them I would still insisted on it being called a wedding). The beautiful golden shores of Malgena, under the setting of the three resident suns was perfect. We would get our first dance together as husband and wife and I damn well would get to kiss my bride after the vows.

But right now I was having difficulty remembering exactly why I had insisted on the 'couple not seeing each other the night before the wedding' tradition. It seemed so futile now, there had been no hen or stag parties to attend and getting ready was no more than a thought. Stupid and pointless. I missed her too much already and the night had barely begun. I had no idea how I was going to make it through the night without her warmth.

But as it turned out I didn't have to.

I sensed her presence before I saw her. Feeling her light tingle up my spine as she appeared. I turned to face her and smiled gratefully. "I thought we'd agreed that we weren't going to see each other till tomorrow." I said, my tone mocking. I loved the pouting expression she gave me when I teased her.

However, it didn't come. Instead she looked at me with sorrow and concern in her beautifully bright eyes. When she spoke her voice reflected the same emotions that I had read clearly on her face. "I am sorry to break your Earth tradition, but I believed you would wish to know immediately. I have just learn that the Excubitary witnessed Jack O'Neill's capture by a Goa'uld."

"Why are The Excubitary watching Jack?" I asked frowning. The Others policing the Ancients I was used to, but them observing my friend was not what I expected.

"They watch all those who carry the gene." Leesia told me simply with a slight shrug, as if the answer should have been obvious. "Jack O'Neill is currently being held and tortured by the Goa'uld know as Ba'al."

"Why?"

"He wishes to know why Jack had returned alone. It would appear that the Tok'ra symbiote Jack carried left the Base undetected when he -"

"Whoa!" I interrupted, holding my hands up to halt her. "Symbiote? Then there's been a mistake. Jack would never agree to a blending."

Her voice was sympathetic. "He was dying."

"Even then!" I told her adamantly.

She stared at me a little stunned. "Then he is as stubborn as you are."

"Worse." I agreed shaking my head.

"That is not possible."

We were getting off topic. "The Excubitary shared all that with you?"

Leesia kept her eyes down as she spoke. "No, they do not confide in me as they once did."

"Because of me?" I knew that my difference of opinion had lead to many a heated argument. They didn't like my views. Well, the feeling was mutual. But I didn't expect them to be so petty as to tar Leesia with the same brush just because we were betrothed.

"That is of no consequence now." she said, waving away my question. Which told me instantly that it was my fault that her friends were shunning her. But the bright look in her eyes also told me that she didn't care. She loved me, knew I loved her, that was all that mattered. "When I learned that it was your friend I went to inspect the situation. Your friends at Earth are holding a Tok'ra for further information to his whereabouts. They hope to mount a rescue, though I fear it is impossible."

'_She doesn't know SG-1'. _I thought. "There must be a way."

"There is, Jack needs only inform Baal why the Tok'ra returned. If he distastes them as much as you make it seem then that should be simple, especially as the symbiote abandoned him to his fate there."

"I should go. Talk to him."

"If you interfere..." her voice was shrill and panicked.

"I won't!" I insisted quickly, making my words a promise.

"I could not bear it if I were to lose you."

I pulled her into my arms, so her head rested on the crock of my shoulder and placed a kiss in her silken hair and firmly told her "That's never going to happen."

I felt her lips press against the side of my Adam's apple, sending a large tingle through me. "I just love you so much." she whispered to me.

I kissed her again, gave her a gently smile and vanished.

…

The artificial gravity of the cell I found Jack in had no effect on me. As an ascended being I had no physical body for the force to pull on. I made a quick decision and positioned myself hovering on one of the built in benches that ran up the 'walls' of the stone room. It felt a little odd, sitting at a right angle, with the 'floor' on my right and the 'ceiling' on my left, but Jack was going to find my appearance hard enough to accept without seeing me walking on the walls as I would appear to be from Jack's perspective.

I made myself visible and called softly, "Hi, Jack." trying to keep my tone light and causal, well as casual as I could considering the last time I had seen him I had been on my death bed.

Jack heard my voice and slowly turned to face me. I gave a little wave of greeting and then folded my hands together on my lap.

"Daniel…" he hid his surprise well.

"I leave, and look at the mess you get yourself into." it was all too easy to slip back into the playful banter that we were so used to.

Jack didn't reply. He just continued to stare at me.

"It's good to see you." I continued, there was no need to say more. Jack would be aware of exactly how true that statement was.

"Yeah, you too." came the reply in a cautious tone. "It's a shame you're a delusion." Jack resumed slowly lowering himself onto the bench on the opposite side of the cell.

"No, I'm here. I'm…really here." I was insistent.

Nevertheless, Jack looked dubious "Sure you are."

Knowing how sceptical he could be at the best of time I had expected to have to convince him. However, I wasn't expecting the shoe that Jack suddenly threw at me. I needlessly winced, turning my head away from the flying footwear, but it passed harmlessly through my chest, rebounding off the wall behind me and returned back through my stomach, before bouncing on the floor (well, wall) between us.

I continued quickly speaking before he could throw the other one at me. "Here in the sense that my consciousness is here, if not here in the full physical flesh and blood sense," I said circled his hands around each other as I tried to explain in the simplest way possible. "Which is really…neither…here nor there. The point is, you're not imaging this."

"I just tossed my shoe through you." Jack said pointing at me. His eyebrows raised, as if daring me to deny the facts.

"Yes you did. That's because I've ascended to another plane of existence."

"Ohhh." Jack still sounding unconvinced.

I didn't expect Jack to be this closed minded. I should have known better I guess, but he had seen me ascend after all. "Remember Oma Desala, the whole…glowing thing, you helped me out. I couldn't have done that without you, remember that?"

"Yeah."

"I'm…I'm energy now."

"How's that working out for you?"

"Good, actually…very…" I said fighting to hold back a smile. I was bursting to tell him all about Leesia. How meeting the beautiful Ancient had turned my life around. Healed me.

"Good."

"Very good." I continued, itching to share my joy with his best friend, but now was not the time for pleasantries. "You…however…"

"Yeah, well…you know what it's like, coming back from the dead." Jack said as he scooped up his discarded shoe. "Takes a while to get the colour back in your cheeks."

"Yeah…"

Jack took a seat the opposite side of the cell. For a long moment he looked thoughtful and then he used his shoe to point at me. "So…not a delusion?" he asked, still sounding unsure, but it was the break through that I needed.

"No." I said shaking his head. I kept his voice calm.

"Okay…show me your stuff. Bust me outta here."

'_One step forward, two steps back_.' I thought, trying to understand why Jack couldn't just accept that I was here, rather than needed proof. "I can't."

"Why not?"

'_Because I'm an Ancient, not David Copperfield.' _I wanted to say, but of course I didn't."I'm not allowed to interfere."

"You're interfering right now."

"No, I'm not." I said quickly, hoping that Leesia wasn't listening, or keeping an eye on me. I could already see the 'I told you so' look on her face.

"Yes, you are." Jack argued.

"No, I'm not. I am consoling a friend." I told him, also speaking to Leesia if she had decided to watch me.

…

"He was quite adamant. He wanted me to use my powers to break him out. I tried to explain that I couldn't, but I know he didn't understand. Its not his nature. Or maybe he just wanted proof that he wasn't actually nuts." Daniel laughed.

He slowed the jeep to a halt as the traffic lights turned red and took the opportunity to have a glance at his wife. Leesia was gleaming with delight as she listened intently to his tale, hanging on his every word.

"Just out of curiosity, where you watching?" he asked her.

"I may have had a small peek." she admitted her mischievous grin playing on her features.

He kept his gaze on her, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"I was concerned for you." she said in defence of her actions.

He continued to stare, lifting his eyebrows higher and pulling his lips into a knowing half smile.

"Okay, all right. I was there the whole time." she confessed with a huff.

"So I don't need to tell you this then." he said his attention back on the road ahead.

Her eyes went wide, but this time it was with disappointed shock. "No, please continue." she begged.

He chuckled. Took her hand and placed it on his thigh where he held it, before he granted her request. "Jack didn't know why the Tok'ra had gone to that planet. Other than it had something to do with one of Ba'al's slave girls. I realised that if the symbiote had managed to keep it a secret from Jack then he must have kept it quiet from everyone. No one knew he was there. No one was coming for a rescue and even if they did the place was a fortress. It was just going to continue until Ba'al figured Jack was not worth reviving anymore. But the damage he would sustain in the sarcophagus in the meantime would be…well he wouldn't be Jack anymore."

Daniel took a big sigh. "There was only one way I could help him…"

…

"So…you wanna be my Oma?" Jack said sounding mocking.

Only Jack could describe something as spiritual and wondrous as ascending to a higher level of consciences as simply as that. "You could put it that way," I said. "I mean, I wouldn't, but maybe that's just me."

"And then what?" he wanted to know.

"Then…then I don't know."

"You don't know?" Jack sounded shocked.

"No. No, ascension doesn't make you all-knowing. I mean, I really…don't know."

"If I'm catching the next plane of existence outta here, you gotta give me something." he was getting agitated now.

"It's your journey. No one but you can choose what you become or the path you take. All I can promise you is it will be an amazing journey." the wonder in my voice could have convinced the most closed minded of people.

But Jack, being Jack, was a different matter. He was currently muttering under his breath, I couldn't hear what he was saying but judging by the tone he was using he was getting more than a little frustrated with the situation.

He would never ascend while he was carrying all that anger and doubt. "Once you release your burden."

"Daniel, so help me, if you start talking like Oma…" Jack warned. I knew that tone. I've heard it a hundred times before, been the cause of it for most. But, as always I wasn't going to let it stop me.

"I'm not talking like Oma Desala." I argued.

"Sounds like Oma to me." Jack argued right back.

"No, no, no…see, Oma Desala would say something like…uh, uh, if you know the candle is fire then the meal was cooked a long time ago or something like that."

"Why?"

'_That's a good question'_ I remembered thinking the same thing when she said it to me. "To open your mind."

Of course Jack had his own take on things. "Though a candle burns in my house…there's nobody home." he said pointing to his head.

I sighed, my fists clenched in frustration. I stood and began pacing to calm my temper. I could feel the energies within me strengthening and needed to expel some of it. "Okay. Let's take this one step at a time. This has to be something you want. I can't do this for you."

"One step at a time?"

"One step at a time." I agreed and for about a nanosecond I thought I had gotten through to him.

"Oh, there's gotta be another way outta here."

"Jack…"

"What if you did a little scouting for me? That'd be all right wouldn't it?"

"No."

"I'm not asking you to knock down walls or anything, just a little recon."

"Ba'al is just gonna torture you again." we were both speaking quickly, overlapping each other.

"Or…uh, uh Zat gun…help me get my hands on a Zat gun."

"The next time is gonna be worse."

"That's when we move, the next time they come for me."

"You can't fight your way out of this."

"Then help me!" Jack said through gritted teeth.

"Not that way!"

The sound of a mechanism opening made us both look up to the entranceway. I felt my jaw dropped open in shock when I saw Leesia looking down at us. I hadn't felt her, the sneaky little minx. Her brow was creased in concern.

"They're coming?" I asked her.

She nodded once to me. "You need to come away now." she told me softly.

"They can see you, right?" Jack asked me, clearly he couldn't see or hear Leesia and had assumed I was talking to him. "We can use that."

"I'll be back." I said to them both.

"A distraction. That's all I'm asking for." Jack asked.

At the same time Leesia said. "You cannot come back Daniel. You are risking too much just being here."

I glared at her briefly, before turning back to Jack. "I promise." I told him pointedly.

"I wish you had not done that." she said to me as I allowed her to coax me away from the cell. "You can not go back Daniel. The Others will be watching you."

"Let them watch. They never do anything anyway." I snapped. I was fed up with their ludicrous rules. Observe, but not interfere? They were no better than peeping toms.

"Daniel do you realise the hour?" she asked me.

I honestly hadn't. Too wrapped up with trying to break through Jack's thick skull to notice how much time had passed.

The time that I myself had set (had insisted on) for our wedding was fast approaching. Going back would mean missing it. Keeping my promise to Jack meant breaking mine to Leesia.

"If you are not present at the ceremony they will be very suspicious." she should of known better. A threat would not make me re-think my position. Would not stop me.

"Do you not wish us to wed?" But that would.

I had to turn away from that look on her face. I didn't want to see the pain that I was causing her.

I didn't want to hurt her, but this was a matter of Jack's life, his soul. What choice did I have? "I have to go back. I promised."

"I understand your need to be there, Daniel. I do, truly, but this situation is precarious. The Others are not aware of your actions at the present, however if you fail to appear at our wedding…"

"I have to. I'm sorry."

…

When I arrived back in the cell I found Jack lying on the floor (or wall to my perspective). He was staring up at the entrance mumbling something under his breath that I didn't quite catch. I stood over him, looking down and asked him who he was talking to.

"The woman." Jack simply told me, his tone dry.

He didn't advert his eyes from the hatchway. It worried me. The sarcophagus must be having an effect on him already…Unless Leesia was back. I looked up at the entranceway half expecting -half hoping- to see her watching us both again, but of course she was not there. No one was, the hallway was void of all life. I turned back to Jack. This was worse than I feared. The sarcophagus was making him see things. I was running out of time.

"There's nobody there." I said sympathetically.

"Look who's talking." Jack replied sardonically.

I had that coming I guess and I took some small relief that at least the Colonel's wit seemed unaffected, but I wondered how many more times it would take for that also to be destroy by the soul sucking device. "Does it still hurt?" I asked.

"No."

"Told you I'd come back."

"If the Daniel Jackson I knew was really here…"

"I am."

"Then do something!"

I hung my head. We were going round in circles. He quickly got to his feet. I guess he had seen my weakness and wanted to take advantage of my doubt.

"You listen to me. I don't wanna go through that again. If you were really my friend and had the power to stop it, you'd stop it!"

He was right and I knew it. "The hardest part of being who or what I am is having the power to change the things I want to change and knowing that I can't. Even when I'm certain, even when it's…absolutely clear to me, even when it affects the people I care about. Because for all I can do, I'm no more qualified to play God than the Goa'uld are."

Jack, being Jack, wasn't listening, not really anyway. He had rolled his eyes and turned away from me to lean against one of the light panels in the lop-sided cell.

"Ba'al will keep this up."

"Yes, he will." there was that defeated tone again, not his usual self.

"So we don't have an unlimited amount of time."

"Gotta be some place, do ya?" he joked, not knowing how spot on he actually was.

"No." I quickly lied. I wouldn't let on that I would be missing one of the most important moments of my life to be here. Again I prayed Leesia would forgive me. "Look, there must be a reason that Kanan came back here. Was it for the woman? The one you were just talking to? She must have something to do with all of this."

"You know…screw it…it doesn't matter. Carter and Teal'c'll think of something. And you know…Jonas…he's at least as smart as you." I know he was only saying it to try and coerce me into action, but I'll admit it…that hurt.

I tried to not let it show. "There isn't always a way out, Jack."

"Hey, if that was true, I'd have been dead a long time ago!"

"How many more times do you think you can go into that sarcophagus before it starts changing you?"

He just shrugged.

"How many times has it been already? It can regenerate your body, make you strong enough to go through that all over again, but all the time, it's destroying who you are. And once that happens, you won't be able to ascend no matter how much you want to."

"Hey…I appreciate what you're trying to do."

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe you could do it."

"This is me we're talking about!"

"Yes, it is. Now, please…just try…to open you're mind."

"Oh…stop it, will you?" he dropped down onto the bench again, clearly frustrated.

"Come on, Jack. Y…You think the Asgard named uh, a ship after you because they thought it was a cool name? Now's not the time to play dumb, you're a lot smarter than that. They saw our potential in you…because of who you are and what you've done. Humanity's potential. That's the same thing Oma saw in me."

"I am not you."

"Yeah, when has that ever stopped you from doing anything?"

"Okay…put yourself in my shoes and me in yours."

I didn't want him to go there, but I answered honestly. "You'd be here for me."

"Damn straight! I'd have busted you out, blown this rat hole to hell and made sure that son-of-a-bitch suffered!"

"The Others would have stopped you." I said trying to convince myself as much as Jack. I couldn't let on to him or to them how close I was to doing exactly what he wanted. I forced myself to remember my promise to Leesia that I wouldn't interfere.

"They'd have a hell of a fight on their hands."

"You wouldn't do that."

"Ba'al would be dead…"

"Jack…" I tried to interrupt, but Jack was passed the point of listening to anything I was saying.

"…And don't think I'd stop there!"

"You're a better man than that."

"THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG!" he screamed in my face.

He glared, as if daring me to argue. Probably expecting me to. Mutely I stared right back. Refusing to back down. I knew Jack well enough to know when arguing would be more damaging to my case. So I bit my tongue…for a few seconds anyway.

I inwardly sighed, '_I promised her.' _"Right now, I can't imagine doing or being anything other than what I am. I see things, I understand things, in a way I never could have before. But I chose this. Even when Jacob was trying to heal me, I chose this. But you in the place you're at right now, you don't have any other choices." I had to get him to understand the importance of what I was saying, but Jack was shaking his head, stubbornly. The soft approach wasn't working. I changed my tactic. "This is not your life we're talking about, Jack! This is your soul!…This is it!" I insisted. Jack had to be willing to try. "What I'm offering you is your only way out."

"You're wrong about that too." Jack said quietly. "I have another choice."

I closed my eyes and shock my head, feeling like I was talking to a brick wall, except I'd probably have more luck with the wall. "What are you talking about?"

He just looked at me. It was a pointed look, asking me something neither of us wanted to put into words. I knew what he meant and I didn't like it.

"No." I said shaking my head.

"Any minute, they're gonna come. Ba'al is gonna kill me again. You can make it the last time."

"Don't ask me to do that."

"You can put an end to it."

"I won't do it."

We both looked up to the empty hallway as we heard their approach.

"I'd do it for you, and you know it."

Jack laid down on the floor so he wouldn't fall when it became the wall once again.

"I don't want to see this cell again, Daniel." Jack said firmly.

I made myself invisible to their eyes as the Jaffa grab Jack by the arms and roughly escort him from now righted room. I felt my anger surge within me. It fuelled my power and I glanced down at my hands and saw the energy that was now balling in my palms ready for release. It would be so easy to stop them. One quick bolt would give Jack the chance he so desperately needed. Jack needed me, his life and more importantly his soul depended on it.

"Daniel, you know you cant." Leesia's voice was suddenly behind me. It was every bit as silken as it always was. I found some small comfort in the sound of it.

I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts and anger that I hadn't noticed her steel up behind me. Now I could sense her goodness flowing through me, easing, soothing. Only a small release but a release none the less. It allowed me to gain some small level of control.

"You were listening?" I asked, I could hear the strain in my own voice. It wavered with the effort of holding the energy back.

"Only for the latter part."

"He asked me to help end his life."

"I heard." she said softly. She stepped around me and gazed deep into my eyes. "You _must_ come with me." her tone was urgent and she added in a whisper "now." her eyes where wide while she waited my response. Silently willing me to understand what she wasn't willing to saying aloud.

Minutely I slowly bowed and raised my head once.

We changed to our spectre forms as we travelled away hurriedly from the Goa'uld fortress.

"_You need to release some of that energy."_ I heard her in my head as we soared.

She was right and I knew it. I felt like there was fire burning through my veins. _"I really do."_ I agreed._ "Question is where?"_

I doubted I would have time to travel to one of the Ancient inhabited planets like Kheb where I could release this energy safely into nature. I couldn't last that long. The strength of the energy was too immense and it was taking all of my will to contain it. When it was discharged it would cause one hell of a storm so I couldn't release it here, it was a populated planet. Innocent people would get hurt.

She must have noticed my discomfort because she suddenly slowed and started descending towards the planets surface. She gave me an encouraging tug and I followed.

As we touched down I retook my corporeal form. The Other may prefer to float around like a glowing tentacled spirit, but I wasn't comfortable that way. Not yet anyway. I preferred to stay in the form that was familiar to me.

"You can share your energies with me." she said stepping towards me. Her image morphing, until she stood before me completely naked.

I have to say I was more than a little stunned. It must have shown. Eyes wide and lips puckered to speak and not being able to get a single syllable, let alone a word out. I must have looked ridiculous.

Her smile, that she tried to hide from me, confirmed my suspicions.

Whether she stripped me or in my semi-aware state I had done it myself I can't be sure, either way I was shocked when she stepped into my embrace and I felt no clothing preventing the contact of our skin.

To say the sparks that shot between us at that moment where intense would be an understatement. Wave upon wave of pleasurable tingles coursed over me, throbbing with life and passion. Flowing from every point of our contact and consuming me. I thought I would burn with the heat of it. I wanted to. Needed to. More than a drowning man needs to breath. It fed me and hungered me at the same time. I wanted to feel it deeper, wanted to drive myself further into the sensation. I tightened my hold on her, heightening the blinding ecstasy that I was gripped within.

Way too soon for my liking she pulled away from me. "We are free to talk now."

I felt like I was going to combust with desire. "That was a rouse?"

"Partly." she said with a mischievous grin. "The Others were watching you. The highest regulator has been informed, but I know how their minds work they would not wish to observe our…private moment."

"Are you sure it worked?" I was desperately trying to get control of myself, it wasn't my energies that needed a release now.

"As certain as I can be. But they will not leave you unobserved for long, which is why you need to stay away from the situation now Daniel."

"I cant leave him like that."

"You must. Your friends back on Earth have formed a plan. Action is being taken as we speak to free Jack, but if you remain it may be suspected that you had a hand in it. You must leave now to avoid suspicion."

"I can't do that." I said with a shake of his head. "I can't leave him to go through that alone."

"He will not be there much longer." she tried.

"And I'll be there until he is safe. I cant leave him a moment before. He deserves that from me."

"You were so close to interfer-"

"I wont!" he cut her off.

For a long second we glared angrily at each other, but eventually her anger turned to fear and I dropped my head, once again not wishing to see that look on her face knowing that I was the cause of it. "I have to go."

"Daniel…It is our wedding day." she pleaded.

"I wish you could understand." I said thumbing a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry." I said and before she could say anymore I disappeared.

I heard Jack call my name, sounding a little uncertain and very hopeful.

I made myself visible to him. "I'm here."

"You were gone."

"I know, I'm sorry, there was something I had to do, but I'm back now and I promise I'll stay with you 'til this is over."

"It'll never be over."

"Yes, it will."

"Daniel. You have to end this."

"Jack, you just have to hang in there a little while longer."

"No. I can't go back in there. If I go back, I swear to God, I'll give Ba'al what he wants, I'll tell him. Daniel, if you don't end this…I'll tell him." The hopeless to his voice was stronger than ever.

You won't have to. It's almost over, Jack.

He turned to look at me for the first time since I had returned and I saw the hope flash in his eyes. "How?"

"You were right. There's always a way out. Well, at least there's always a chance. Your journey isn't over, Jack, not yet."

The more I told him the more I saw of the Jack I knew returning. The optimism, the curiosity, the inner strength. The fighter!

Before I was even through explaining we heard an explosion from outside, the lights flickered as the ground rumbled.

Jack was already on his feet, looking up and I rose to stand beside him "This is it. All you ever wanted was a fighting chance, Jack, now you have it. If anyone can make it out of here, you can."

…

"I kept myself out of his sight. I hated doing it, but being there when he was escaping would defiantly be interfering."

Leesia gently stroked his thigh as his grip on her hand tightened. She knew that being there for Jack had been an emotional battle for him. Having to fight against everything he was so desperately wanted to do. It was his nature to help in every way he could. Knowing he had to hold back had pained him, deeply. Even reliving it as he told her his tale she had heard the wavering in his voice.

"Yes, it would have." she agreed. "You were so strong."

"I don't know about that."

"I do." she said firmly. "It took remarkable strength of character to be there for him."

Daniel shock his head. "Like he said, he would have been there for me, done the same for me…and more. I felt so selfish."

"Selfish? Why would you feel that way?"

"I watched Jack as he made his way out of the now reoriented cell. He attacked a Jaffa and stole his Zat and he freed the Lo'tar from her cell. It was then that the full immensity of my selfishness hit me. There Jack was in the middle of a battle for his life and he stopped to help this woman who was a complete stranger to him. The Tok'ra he had hosted had loved her, but he had no feelings for her. And there I was able to erase my best, my closest friends suffering…and I sat back and watched as he got tortured to death over and over again."

…

And it was all because of a promise. A promise that I had broken anyway, the moment I hadn't been by her side to begin our marriage. I had been useless to both of them.

Jack was safe, back in the SGC (no thanks to me). I heard Janet telling Sam that he would suffer withdrawal symptoms from the sarcophagus, but other than that she expected him to make a full recovery. He was going to be fine, but I still couldn't bring myself to leave. I realised that again that was selfish. I was staying not for my friend, but because I knew that as soon as I left I would have to face the music.

I had hurt her and I would find out it had cost me everything.

As the other members of SG-1 filed out of the infirmary I steady myself and made myself visible. I owed him a goodbye. "I always seem to be saying goodbye to you."

"Yeah, I noticed that. Why don't you stick around for a while?" Jack said looking up at me.

I managed a smile. If only he knew how much I would have loved to stay. See my friends without having a life hanging in the balance, but as it always had been, time was not on my side. I shouldn't even be here now, Leesia was waiting and she must already be mad, but Jack deserved a goodbye. I owed everything to Jack. Had Jack not granted my dying wish I could not have ascended. Had I not ascended I would not have met and fallen in love with Leesia.

"I can't, really."

"You just did." he argued.

"Special occasion." I said simply. I would not tell Jack that by being here I had missed my own wedding. He didn't need to know that.

"Christmas?" Jack guessed.

"No."

"Groundhog Day?"

"Nooo." I wished it was as simple as that.

"I've got my journey, you've got yours?" Jack asked.

"Something like that, yeah. Look, I know you don't think so…right now, I mean I know you have your doubts, but uh, because you've been through something that no one should have to go through. I guess what I'm trying to say is…you're gonna be all right."

"How do you know?" Jack asked me.

"You're just gonna have to trust me."

"I can do that." he answered very quickly, making me smile. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna be fine." I told him, trying to sound a lot more confident than I felt. _'At least I will be, if she will forgive me.' _I hoped, and prayed she would as I left to face the music.

…

I swallowed hard and loud as I saw her.

She looked mouth-wateringly beautiful. The cream dress that she had donned for the occasion, ('_that I had now ruined')_ was skilfully highlighted with an overlay of a white floral design. The thin delicate straps looping over her shoulders revealed her delectable skin to the gentle glow of the setting suns. A wide ribbon circled above the waist, just below her breasts served to flaunt her famine curls to my hungry eyes. A seamless balance of the mischievous seductress and the innocence of the virgin she would technically always be. It was a prefect wedding dress.

As she turned to faced me, her expression was unreadable and my fear exploded in my chest.

"Please just hear me out," I began quickly. "I'm sorry. I had to be there. You see we were a team and part of being in that team meant no one gets left behind. I know that that is not my life anymore, but that doesn't mean that I don't still feel an obligation towards them. All of them. If it had been me in that position they would have done everything in their power to help me. I know I can't interfere, but I had to do what I could. Even if it was only to console him-"

"Or try to help him ascend." she interrupted.

I sighed, my head bowed "I know I have ruined this and I know I have no right to expect it, but can you forgive me. Please. Please, still marry me." I hoped, prayed desperate and terrified while I waited for her answer.

After a few seconds of silence I dared to lift my head and look into her face, not wanting to see that pain and anger that I knew I would see in her usually gentle eyes.

I was surprised to find her smiling, her eyes just as inviting and loving as they always were when she looked upon me.

She quickly closed the gap between us. Taking my face in her hands she brought our lips together.

I was stunned. Shocked beyond all reason. Where was the anger? If I had expecting anything it would be a slap, not a kiss. I knew my eyes must have widened with astonishment. I couldn't even move. I was completely froze as her lips pushed further against mine.

When she released me she giggled at my perplexed expression. _'God, I loved that sound!'_ It was like music. A melody I had feared I would never hear again.

"I can not give you forgiveness when you have not wronged me. You said you would not interfere and you held true to your word."

That wasn't entirely true. "Actually as it turned out I didn't need to. Their plan worked. He got out."

"I am glad. If Jack had come to harm it would have pained you deeply and I could not of bared to see you hurting. It must have been taxing on you, to watch him go through all of that knowing that you had the power to stop it, but also knowing that The Others would have stopped you if you were to attempt such a thing. They were watching you so closely, Daniel." That mischievous smile that I loved spread across her face. "When ones sight is focused on the stalking lion one does not spy the jackal approach from behind."

Slowly the realisation of what she was saying hit me. "It was you. You told them how to get him out."

She merely looked at me, with a knowing smile.

My astonishment double, tripled. She truly amazed me. She had kept their focus on me, knowing that they would not suspect her to act. "I don't deserve you. I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't seem enough. I can't believe I ruined this. I'm so sorry."

"You being safe is all the thanks I need and you have ruined nothing."

"But the wedding?"

"The wedding will begin when both parties are ready for it to and not a moment sooner."

"I am ready now." I told her sincerely.

She smiled. "As am I."

We faced each other. Lacing our fingers together, palm to palm and spoke our vows in unison. "Is it my will be by your side as your friend and companion where ever our journey shall take us. To be your sanctuary in times of need and your support in times of difficultly. From me you shall receive no judgement, only support and understanding. Though we will change as surely as the seasons my love for you will remain constant. I chose, of my own free will, to intertwine my mind, body and soul with you and you alone, for as long as life grips me."

After everything that had happened our vows seemed truer than ever.

* * *

><p>AN ~ As always, let me know what you think :)<p> 


	14. Chapter 13 Beams and Blue eyes

**A.N ~ **Thank you, again, to everyone for your support. Sorry for the delay, when I finished this chapter I wasn't happy with it. Going through it repeatedly and editing wasn't making me feel any better about it, so I had to start from scratch and rewrite the whole thing. I hope it was worth it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13 ~ Beams and Blue Eyes.<strong>

"And then I kissed you as my wife for the very first time." Daniel concluded his tail as he pulled the jeep up out front of their house.

She was gazing at him, her smile radiating joy. "I never dare to hope that you would remember so much."

Bashfully, he returned her smile. "That makes two of us."

"I should have known better." She reached over and gently held his cheek. "Always so determined, strong."

Daniel dropped his attention to hip lap, embarrassed by the raw pride that was shinning through her face, her voice. "It was only because of your clues; the vows, Malgena. I couldn't have done it without you."

"I doubt the truth of that." she said, but as she spoke she noticed his brown had furrowed and his gaze had turned to a look of far off wondering, an expression she had come to recognized as one he wore when he was over analysing something. "Something is troubling you. What is it?" she said, as she rubbed her hand up and down his arm, to snap his attention back to the land of the living.

He still looked thoughtful when he turned to face her. "I guess I don't understand how you could have forgiven me that easily. Technically, I left you at the altar."

"It was not that way." Leesia said as she ran the backs of her fingers lightly across his cheek, as if her touch could ease the worry from his face. "You were so quick to risk your own happiness, or so you believed, to bring some comfort to your friend, even though there was really nothing you could have done. Your selflessness and passion for everything…it is inspiring. The only thing I could do was love you more."

He felt the heat rise in his cheeks. "You give me far too much credit," he argued softly.

"My modest husband, you do not see yourself clearly."

"You're biased." he disagreed.

"No. I am in awe of you."

He thought his blush would tattoo his cheeks permanently. She always saw the good in his actions, refused to fault him in anyway, but no matter how good an intention he had, or how hard it had been, he could never consider anything he did awe-inspiring. "I think you have that backwards. You made his escape possible. You thought of the plan and followed it through; I was nothing more than a distraction and an ignorant one at that."

She brushed both his overheated cheeks with her palms before twinning her fingers in his dark blonde hair. Her warm eyes pulling his cool blue into their depths. "You were much more than that. You were the source, the reason why I made the decision to assist. Your presence in my life changed me, gave me the desire to be a better person. So any good I may have done was all because of you."

He dropped his head in embarrassment, finding what she was saying hard to believe, but also knowing that it would be pointless to dispute it with her. Her tone and that loving look of admiration in her eyes told him that she believed what she said wholeheartedly. She respected the strength of his spirit so intently that she even gave him the credit for her own good deeds.

Disbelievingly, he shock his head with a smile on his lips. He would get her to see sense…but not tonight. Tonight was his wedding night and there was one more tradition that he wanted to follow, one he hadn't been able to do before.

He climbed out of the jeep and circled around the front to help Leesia out of the high cab. As soon as her feet hit the pavement, he scooped her up into his strong arms.

"Daniel!" she squealed in surprise. "Let me go." she told him gently, although she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Never." he said meaningfully.

"I am too heavy with the baby," she protested as he made his way up the path to the front door.

"Nonsense, I got you both just fine." He shifted her weight so he could work the front door and kissed her as he crossed the threshold. It was how he had pictured it in his mind, his ideal ending to the wedding.

He kicked the door closed behind them, carried her through to the bedroom and gently lowered her down on the soft surface of their bed, their marital bed. They were married; he was home with his wife. He couldn't help the large grin that instantly appeared on his face at the thought.

"I love you, Mrs Jackson."

She smiled at the use of her new name, a sense of wellbeing and belonging resounding through her. She was his, and was now named as such. "I love you also." she purred seductively, running her hands up his chest, pushing his jacket off his shoulders and sliding it down and off his arms.

She encircled his broad shoulders with her arms and gently tugged him down closer to her, until their lips found each other's. He held himself above her, supporting his weight with his arms, either side of her bare shoulders, as their lips began to dance together, the dance of need, longing. The dance of love.

Her fingers moved to and set to work on the buttons on his shirt, as his lips worked their magic upon her, her lips, cheeks, her jaw, but when Daniel dropped his kisses down her throat, she lost all ability to coordinate her fingers. She grasped at his shirtfront and he heard more than one button pop off in her need to feel his smooth chest against her palms.

He smiled against her sweet skin as his lips left their mark on her collarbone across the hollow of her throat and to the other.

He shifted his weight to one side so he could free his hand to slide the zip of her dress down. He was almost sorry to take it off her; she looked more beautiful in it than he had imagined she would. So pure and innocent and the white smooth material enhanced that. So perfect to him. However, he was glad he did when he freed her of the dress and saw the undergarments that she was wearing. The white lace with petite pale blue ribboning enhanced her feminine curves. A groan of desire rumbled deep in his chest.

"You like it?" she asked him. Although she could guess the answer by the expression, he was now wearing. His eyes seemed slightly off focus, his lips parted to cope with his sudden increased need for oxygen.

He licked his dying lips. "Very much."

"The woman at the shop said I had to have one of these for my wedding." Leesia said as she ran her hand over her thigh to indicate the delicate, pale blue and white garter than resided halfway up. "But I can not fathom its purpose."

"I'll show you," he said planting another; slightly firmer kiss on her breastbone. "It's an old tradition..." He moved down, placing another kiss just below the first. "…Brides clothing was believed to be lucky…" Another kiss he hid in the valley between her breasts. "…This lead to many people tearing, or stealing her clothes…" Her heart was thumping a tempo against his lips as her worked his way lower. "…The garter tradition was introduced to stop the bride getting upset on her wedding day…" He allowed his tongue to explore her navel and she gasped at the new and tender contact. "…They made it so only the groom could remove it…" His fingers tickled up the outside of her thigh that housed the garter in question, at the same time his lips worked their way down to the top of her panties. "…It's meant to be done after the ceremony…" he continued as his lips grazed her hip, her chest heaving in anticipation of what was to come. "…But I think it's more fun in private." His breath tickled the sensitive skin on her inner thigh as his lips took the opposite journey to his fingers. He pinched hold of the garter between his front teeth and gently tugged it down, slowly to her knee in one smooth stroke. His fingers hocked under the elastic and took over from his teeth so his lips could pay homage to the delicate skin under her knee, the inside of her calf, down to kiss each one of her curling toes.

"Daniel," she panted, sitting up and drawing her legs underneath her. "Please do not tease."

He crawl closer to her and sat back on his heals. "I have no intention of teasing," he said taking her hand and raising it to his mouth. "But I do intend to worship you. Every…single…inch…of…you…" he punctuated each word with a kiss to her knuckles, wrist, working his way up her arm, over her shoulder, back to that spot on her throat that never failed to make her tremble in desire.

Her eyes were ablaze with need. "I promised that I would be the one making you quiver with desire tonight, not the other way around."

"Don't worry, you are." he panted. "You always do."

...

"I never asked you, what your something old, new, borrowed and blue was," he asked, his curiosity peeking. He thought he could guess the blue part by the detail on the underwear and garter she had worn beneath her beautiful wedding dress, but the other three remained a mystery to him.

"Well, I figured I didn't need any because we all ready had them. For the 'old' I thought that we both used to be ancient." He chuckled at her pun. "The new is our physical forms now; the blue is your eyes… I didn't think you would mind if I borrowed them. Metaphorically speaking of course."

"You do know that that is incredibly corny."

"I know…but everything else I thought of was far from good enough."

"Corny." he repeated with a smile.

"Thank you for this beautiful day, Daniel. It was perfect."

His smile faltered and died, as his thoughts returned to their first wedding. She had seen only the good in his actions, and deep down he knew that he had been without a choice at the time, but that didn't stop the guilt he felt. "I should have made it more…to make up for before." he said, his voice heavy with remorse.

She rolled to face him, stunned realisation shining on her features.

"Had I known…" He shock his head. "We should have had everything; the cake, the flowers, the little kids in tiny suits and dresses throwing petals, you should have had bridesmaids and someone to give you-"

"Stop." she said softly, pressing her finger to his lips to silence him. She could tell by the look he was warring and the speed of his speech that this was about to turn into another one of his long winded, one-sided discussions and quickly nipped it in the bud before he got a chance to get fully into it. "For me it was perfect because you stood opposite me at the end of that aisle and said those beautiful words to me. Nothing but that could have made it perfect. And if I had to do it again I would wish for it to be exactly the same."

"Even so, I want to have a reception and a proper honeymoon after the baby is born."

"Another wedding?" she sounded aspirated. "I am beginning to believe that you are addicted to them."

He chuckled, his attention on the pillowcase that he was fiddling with. "I just want to do it right."

"You do know I am not going anywhere?"

Her question shocked him, like a slap and he snapped his head up to see her face. Was that why he was trying so hard because he had an underlying fear of losing her, just like he had lost Sha're? His fear so deeply buried in him that he hadn't even seen it in himself. Did she know him that well that she could hear what his heart whispered to her, without him having said a word? She read his action as clear as the text in a book.

She was looking at him with a look of hidden sadness as she raised her fingers to caress his face. "There is no need for you to tie us in any possible way you can find Daniel. I am already yours in every way there is. I will never leave you." she said softly, her silken voice heavy with the solemn promise. The sincerity of her words shining lovingly through her eyes.

His hand covered hers and he pushed his cheek into her palm. "I love you so much." he sighed. She truly was amazing to him. Able to give him exactly what he needed, without him even knowing that he needed it.

"I love you also." she sighed back, gently pulling him down until his lips descended on hers.

As they touched, the ever-strong tingles shot down his spine. His breathing hitched as they sent his stomach muscles into a tight spasm. He loved what her kisses did to him and as her lips parted allowing him the access to her sweet mouth, he dove his tongue into her greedily. He wanted more of her and he could tell by her light quiver, in his arms that she did to.

"You have done it again," she said.

"What love?"

"Set my hormones off."

"Good." He kissed her tenderly with a smiling playing on his lips.

…

The sudden tightening across her taught abdomen woke her from the peace of sleep. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her bump, but bit back a groan when she noticed that Daniel still slept soundly next to her, his mouth slightly parted, a gentle snore purred in his chest. '_Labour take's hours_,' she reminded herself. '_Let him sleep. With a newborn in the house, it may be his last chance for a while.'_

As the constriction in her hips and waist lessened she rose from the bed, as carefully as she could, trying not to disturb her slumbering husband. She took a long second to enjoy the sight of his peaceful form. She found him beautiful, inside and out and loved him so much it hurt.

She scooped his shirt off the dresser where she had evidently tossed it as she stripped it off him earlier in the night and pulled it over her naked form. It still smelled like him and she pulled the collar to her nose and took a deep inhale. She loved his scent.

"Lees?" Daniel murmured in a sleepy state, telling her that she hadn't been successful in her attempt to allow him to rest. His eyes were only half-open as he looked up at her uncertainly. "You okay?"

As she made to answer him, another bout of the tightness claimed her and she held her breath so not to let him hear the pain in her voice. She shifted her hips slowly, trying to find a more comfortable position that would ease or settle the tightness. As it eased off she breathed out slowly she said. "I think it has started."

It seemed like before she could blink he was by her side, his arms around her, taking both her hands in his to support her weight. "The contractions? How many?" he asked quickly, all sign of sleep gone from his voice, replaced with alarm.

"That was number two."

"How long ago was the first?"

"I neglected to time it," she confessed.

He took a quick mental note of the display on the bedside alarm clock.

He held her until he felt her tense in his arms. Her fingers threaded into his and she squeezed, holding her breath as she did.

"Breath love." he told her keeping his voice as calm as possible. "Deep breaths."

Unsteadily, she sucked in a quick deep breath, fear shining in her warm eyes, blowing it out slowly.

"That's it," he said encouragingly. "Just like that. You're doing fine."

As the contraction eased off, he checked the time again, making a mental note at how long between each contraction. "Are you okay?" he asked, studying her face.

"They are painful."

"I know. You're doing fine. I'd better call Janet."

"No please!" she instantly panicked. "Not yet! I read that labour takes hours. It is not necessary at this moment, please."

"Okay, okay. It's okay." he quickly soothed. "I'm just going to give her some warning."

She was trembling as she nodded and Daniel helped her back to the bed before reaching for his phone, quickly punching the speed dial programmed for Janet's cell number.

"Hey Janet it's Daniel. Sorry to wake you."

"Quite alright." the Doctor said through a yawn. "Have things begun?"

"Only three contraction so far. Seven minutes apart. Her waters haven't broken and she's coping all right with the pain at the moment, so I won't be bringing her in just yet. Just wanted to give you the heads up."

"Thank you. I'll head in now and get things ready for you, but keep me posted, regularly."

"Will do." he promised before snapping the phone shut.

He felt her slight tremble increase and he tightened his grip on her hand. "I do not wish to go into the infirmary," she confessed fearfully.

Daniel had been expecting this. "Listen to me," he said, wrapping his arms around her. "It's not going to be the same as the other times. This isn't tests or procedures. This is childbirth. You and your body do the work we are only there to help you. Aid you however you want us to. Nothing is done against your will, only what you want. Do you understand?"

She was silent for a moment, before she looked up at him, her eyes alive with comprehension and hope. "You can deliver our baby," she gasped out, wondering why she hadn't thought of it before. "You have the knowledge and experience."

He had not been expecting that. "Uh I-I do, but each time I did it was only because there was no other choice. Janet is much more-"

"This is my choice Daniel." she interrupted. "I do not wish for others. Only you."

"Leesia, I-"

"Please, Daniel."

He thought about that for a long moment. Sure, he had the training and some experience, but there were other at the base that were much more qualified than he was. He didn't want to risk anything, but he didn't want her stressed either, and if he was honest with himself he was a little flattered that she trusted him to that degree. "Okay I'll make a deal with you. I'll do it, but on the condition that it's at base, in the infirmary and if anything, no matter what, gets complicated, I let Janet take over. Deal?"

"But you will still stay with me?"

"Of course. I'm not going to leave your side, I swear."

"Okay, I agree with you conditions."

A bright blue flash of light startled them. Startled, Leesia gripped both of Daniel's hand tighter as it engulfed them, pulling them out of the comfort of their bedroom.

When the light faded, they found themselves in an elaborately decorated room. A large canopy bed, draped in maroon silk, was the sole object in the flamboyant vicinity.

"Where are we?" Leesia asked her eyes wide as she took in their new surroundings.

"I have no idea," Daniel said as he eyed the golden hieroglyphs that donned the walls. "But, it's Goa'uld design."

* * *

><p>A.N~ As always, let me know what you think. J<p> 


	15. Chapter 14 Taken

_**Chapter 14 - Taken**_

_(Deep-voiced, voice over person: "Previously on Light God.")_

_A bright blue flash of light startled them. Leesia gripped both of Daniel's hand tighter as it engulfed them, pulling them out of the comfort of their bedroom._

_When the light faded, they found themselves in an elaborately decorated room. A large canopy bed was the sole object in the flamboyant vicinity._

"_Where are we?" Leesia asked her eyes wide as she took in their new surroundings._

"_I have no idea." Daniel said as he eyed the golden hieroglyphs that donned the walls. "It's Goa'uld design."_

…

"It is unlike the Goa'uld to provide any comfort," Leesia said nodding towards the bed.

"Good point," he agreed, as he took advantage of that comfort and eased Leesia onto its surface, freeing himself up so he could scope out the room.

"The rebel Jaffa?" she asked hopefully, as he began his slow, experienced inspection of the unfamiliar room.

He had easily found the door, but there was no control panel on this side, telling him that this room's main purpose was a holding cell, whoever had taken them had meant to take them as prisoners. They were not allies. "No, no I don't think so," he said as he ran his fingers around the edges looking for a weak spot. He heaved against the door, not expecting it to shift at all, but still reserved the right to be annoyed when it didn't. "That was an Asgard beam. The only Goa'uld with that technology is Anubis."

"As far as you know."

"As far as I know." he agreed, looking up at the vents that dotted around the top of the room, circling the life support. Had he and Jonas been a bit quicker, or the Jaffa a bit slower, they would have used these vents as their escape the last time he was aboard a ship like this, but two able-bodied, physically fit men, were very different from a pregnant woman in labour. These vents were too close to the ceiling and too small, there was no hope of getting Leesia out that way, so he turned his attention back to the door. It was Leesia's ability that had facilitated his escape last time… "Can you open this?" he asked tilting his head towards the door to indicate what he was referring to.

Her brow creased in concentration and she looked strained for a long while before sighing in defeat. "No, I need knowledge of the workings of it."

He nodded thoughtfully and began scanning around the door, hoping he could remove a panel and access the controls from the inside. Subconsciously he touched his chest, his fingers searching for the vest pocket that housed his penknife, but he was not wearing his vest, only the under shirt and boxers that he had slept in.

"What does he want?" she asked.

Daniel turned to face her. "…The lost city of the Ancients," he said as it dawned on him. "It has to be. Osiris failed to return with the information."

She pouted. "I do not appreciate his timing."

His lips turned up at the edges, finding her expression completely endearing. "It does seem like he's made it his personal mission in life to prevent me from getting any sleep."

She managed to return his small smile, his light-hearted manner was a comfort to her and help eased some of her fear. "I suspect that you would not have achieved much sleep tonight regardless of where we are."

"I'm sorry. This is my fault. If I'd let Osiris have the memories-"

"Then you would not have saved Sarah." Leesia interrupted, refusing to let him even begin to blame himself.

"Daniel!" she called to him, the slight tremble in her voice instantly halting his examination of the room's interior walls and he dashed back to her side.

"Another one?" he asked, checking his watch _'Still seven minutes apart' _and took hold of her hands.

She nodded, her breath held and the pain evident on her beautiful face.

"You need to breath." Daniel instructed soft but firm. "Just breath and try to keep calm…you need to relax."

The look of complete disbelief that sprung upon her face caused him to have to pinch the inside of his cheeks with his teeth to keep from chuckling. "I know it seems impossible, especially in this situation, but trust me, please, if you relax it'll make it much easier for you."

She didn't believe that it would make a difference, but, trusting him, she began taking slow, calming breaths.

"That's right, just like that. You're doing brilliantly," he said encouragingly, pleased that she was listening to him, relaxing really would help her.

"He had a Mind-probe device…It connects directly with the ship?" she asked between deep breaths. Daniel nodded. "If we can…get them to use it…"

"Just breathe. Breathe." Daniel tried to insist, but she carried on.

"…on me...convince them that I…have the knowledge."

"What?" he gasped in disbelief. "No!"

"I need access to the technology…so I can understand it… so I might be able to… control the ship. Ahh Daniel!" she squeezed her eyes tightly in pain as the contraction hit its peak.

"I'm here." he squeezed her hand.

"If you can get out of here-," she panted as the contraction eased off.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"We need help Daniel," she said imploring him, the panic clear in her voice.

He stubbornly shock his head. "If Anubis wants my memories then he can have them, but I'm not leaving you, so forget it!"

The hum of the mechanics, as the door slid open, interrupted their stand off. A scream caught in her throat as three heavily muscled Jaffa in full metallic armour marched into the room. Daniel quickly repositioned himself between Leesia and the Jaffa, holding his arms out wide, like a shield, to protect her.

Daniel didn't need to see the gold emblem on the foremost Jaffa's forehead to recognize Her'ak, Anubis's first prime.

"On your knees." he barked at Daniel.

Keeping himself between the enemy and his wife, Daniel took a step towards them. "Listen to me. There's been a mistake. She's not meant to be here. Let her go and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"Jaffa, chel nok kree!" Her'ak ordered, pointing his staff weapon towards Daniel.

The two Jaffa flanking him surged forward and seized Daniel by the upper arms, squeezing at the right parts to force Daniel to his knees and twisting his arms up behind his back. He fought against them, trying to straighten his back so he could at least keep his head up and see what was happening around him.

With the sole member of SG-1 restrained, Her'ak leaned over him and grinned menacingly. "Doctor Jackson, it is you who are mistaken. It is not you that we were sent for."

Daniel felt the terror tighten over his heart, as Her'ak refocused his sight on Leesia. He double his effort struggling to free himself from their tight grip.

He couldn't see the bulbous end of the staff weapon, as it was pushed against his cheek, but he easily recognized the snap and buzz as it was opened and armed. He froze; getting himself killed would not help her.

"Prim'ko'tar kree!" Her'ak barked over his shoulder.

From behind him a small woman stepped in, she kept her eyes down as she entered the chamber and stepped quickly around the Jaffa, towards Leesia.

Daniel, helplessly restrained by the Jaffa, could do nothing but watch, horrified as the slave girl, who he assumed was the Jaffa equivalent of a midwife, began examining his wife. With his midwifery experience, he recognized exactly what she was doing. She was assessing the progression of Leesia's labour by checking how dilated her cervix was.

Leesia felt repulsed as the woman began touching her; touching her where only Daniel had ever touched her before, where no one but Daniel was allowed to touch her. She wanted to squirm away from the unwanted intrusion, but one glance at Daniel held on his knees, stopped her. She knew they would not hesitate in hurting him if she failed to cooperate, so she forced herself to remain still, closing her eyes tightly.

The woman was still examining her, when Daniel saw Leesia's stomach tighten as she was hit with another contraction. "Wait!" he shouted at the woman and then, "Nok!" when she ignored him, but still she continued. He knew that doing any sort of internal examination during a contraction made things more painful and there was always the chance that you could…

Leesia screamed in pain and surprise as her waters where intentionally broken. Daniel started thrashing against his captors, desperately trying to get back to his wife and get this heartless woman away from her, before she could do her any further harm. However, his efforts only served to make them grip him harder, forcing his arms higher up behind his back. As he tried to throw himself forward, he felt a ripping agony flare through his left shoulder and he bit back his own cry of pain, as his eyes filled with water.

Her job done, the woman rose off the bed. She kept her head bowed as she addressed Her'ak. "Master, the birthing had already begun, but I have aided its speed. It should progress faster now."

"You have done well. Your God will be pleased," he praised. She bowed to him and moved to leave, but he halted her. "Stay close; she may require a birthing aid."

"She has one!" Daniel spat, his eyes flashing with anger and hatred.

"You?" Her'ak shot out a deep bellowing laugh of mockery. "First it is female warriors, now men as birthing aids. Whatever will the Tau'ri do next?"

Daniel was shoved; forcibly face first to the floor as the Jaffa released him. They exited the room, sealing the door tightly shut behind them.

Daniel held his wounded arm close to his torso as he eased himself up as quickly as he could and went over to where Leesia was trembling on the bed. He wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her tight to him.

"She made the pain worse, Daniel," she whispered into his shoulder and he felt her tears wet his neck.

"I know she did. I'm sorry." he replied, rubbing his palm up and down her back, reassuringly.

She took a deep wavering breath and eased herself back. "On a brighter note, now that they have used the door I know how they operate. I think I can open it," she said, with a sniff, wiping the tear tracks off her face.

Gratefully, he pressed a loving kiss to her forehead. It was about time they had some good news. "Can you walk?" he asked.

"Does waddling count?"

"At this point I'll take whatever I can get," he said, keeping his arm around her as he helped her to her feet and over to the doorway.

His mind ran at a million miles a minute, thinking out any possible means of escape, as Leesia's ability manipulated the workings of the door and it hissed open, revealing the angled (and thankfully empty) hallway to them. He doubted this ship would have a Stargate aboard, which had been his means of escaping Apophasis's ship before, but a ship this size would most likely have a glider bay. He hadn't felt them jump to hyperspace so chances were they would be close enough to Earth for a glider to be able to make the distance. Problem was, he was not Jack, or Sam, or Teal'c, he had no piloting experience. He decided to make that his plan B. Using the rings was impossible, even if by some fluke of luck they were still in range, there was no where for them to ring to. The Asgard beaming technology was his best hope. Anubis's controls had been in Ancient before, between the pair of them they should be able to work out how to run it…he hoped. It was his best option; he just had to find it and not be recaptured by the unknown amount of Jaffa that stood between them and their escape. With Leesia in labour they couldn't duck and take cover, the instant they heard an approach, so playing it stealthy wasn't an option. He missed the weight on his thigh that usual housed his harness for the Zat he always carried off-world, he needed to be armed, without it they were sitting ducks.

'_Okay, so, plan A,' he ran it though his mind. 'Step one: find the armoury, steal some Zats. Doable…Okay, step two: Get to the control room, stunning every Jaffa on our way, all the while coaching Leesia through her labour, timing her contractions, keeping her calm and trying to massage away as much pain as possible. Difficult, very difficult…but not impossible… Step three: Translate the controls and figure out how to operate the beam. Step four; beam back to the SGC, warn them about the ship and deliver our baby. I can do this… I have to do this.'_ The alternative was not an option.

They had only made it a few cautious steps down the golden corridor when his thoughts were interrupted by Leesia's muffled cry as she doubled over, clutching at her hips with an agonising groan, as she was hit by another contraction.

"Try not to scream." he implored her in an urgent whisper, rubbing his hand across her lower back, doing his best to massage away at least some of her pain.

She was holding her breath, again, but she managed to glare at him, the pain written plainly on her fuming face.

He could guess how she was feeling. He had lost count of the amount of times had he been injured while hiding somewhere or running from someone and crying out would have given away his and his teams location, so he had learnt, over the years, not to, but it was never easy. "I know how you feel, but you mustn't scream." he said, his face wore a look of apology that he hoped would sooth the anger that he could see on hers.

She bit her lip to hold back the scream, her fingernail digging into both of Daniel's hands as she clung to him as if her life depended on keeping hold of him. He had to follow his own advice as he supported her weight on both his forearms, causing the pain to intensify in his wounded shoulder.

"Easy, easy." he whispered as her contraction eased off.

"That one was more painful than the others," she told him as they continued their slow journey.

"I agree." he said absently, seeing the corridor folk ahead of them and trying to recall the different lay outs of Goa'uld ships, wondering which direction was the armoury.

"Um, this way." he said leaded her off to their right.

"You are certain?" she asked, she had seen the way his head had batted back and forth unsurely between both the passageways.

"Nope." he admitted, quickly stealing a glance at his watch. Her last contraction had only been five minutes after the previous one. Her labour was progressing too fast in a time when he needed it to go slow. _'Three minutes until the next one.' _he mentally noted.

In the distance, he heard the familiar metallic clanking of a cluster of Jaffa patrolling the corridors. He hoped they were moving in the opposite direction, but as the sound grew louder he realised they were heading straight for them and judging by the panicked look on her face, Leesia had realised the same thing.

"In here." Daniel urged, moving them over to a door to their left and jabbing at the control panel alongside it. It slid open and Daniel quickly eyed around the new room. Both sides were lined with Goa'uld packing crates, ahead of them a window showing the blackness of space, dotted with winking stars. Speedily, he worked the inside buttons and the door closed. He held his breath, listening intently as the Jaffa patrol grew closer to their hiding place, his heart hammering against his ribs.

Both husband and wife sighed in relief as they heard the clomping footfalls of the Jaffa recede into the distance. It had been too close for comfort.

His attention turned to the crates that bordered the room. Would it be too much too hope for that they had stumbled on the armoury accidentally? He rotated the scarab-shaped locks to face the centre and wrenched off the lid.

His hope turned to horror when he saw what was housed inside; the various lethal looking alien instruments and blades appeared medical in nature. The Jaffa had come for their baby and this was their tools for completing their mission. His stomach turned with nausea and he slammed the lid closed.

"What is in there?" Leesia asked with a curious tone.

He swallowed hard. "Nothing." he lied. "It's empty."

"Well, maybe one of the others- Ahh, Daniel!" she called in the way that was fast becoming familiar to him. He checked the time again and eased her to the floor as her legs gave way underneath her. _'This one is early. They're getting closer together.'_

He took slow, deep breaths himself, encouraging her to mimic him. "That's it." he said supportively as she followed his lead.

As her contraction hit its peak, the lights around them flickered and died, throwing them into pitch-blackness.

"Daniel?" He heard her whimper in fear.

"I'm right here," he whispered back, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"I am sorry. It was not intentional," she said as she squeezed his hand tightly back.

"I know. Shh." he whispered back, imploring her to be silent as he strained his ears, listening hard. It wasn't what he was hearing that concerned him; it was what he wasn't hearing. The ship was deathly still and silent. _'The engines are dead.' _he quickly realised, keeping the thought to himself so not to panic her further. Her abilities, strengthened by her fear and pain, hadn't just taken out the lights; she had taken out the whole ship. On the positive side, it would stop the ship jumping to hyperspace and further distancing them from Earth. That was good, it would buy him some time, but no engines also meant that the beams would be inactive, which put a big crimp in plan A and it also would stop the glider bay doors from opening and therefore rendering his backup plan useless also. More urgently, no power meant no life support and that was very bad indeed.

"Can you undo it?" he asked, wondering if her ability had also rendered any weapons on board inactive, Staff weapons and Zat's were energy weapons, they carried their own power crystals, so it was possible (but not defiant) that they were also dead now. He hoped that wasn't the case. A single unarmed Jaffa he might be able to take, but there was at least five that he had seen and countless others to run the ship, he would be no match alone. He sent an instant, silent pray to any Deity that could be listening, for help…help getting his wife and unborn child out of this situation and back home safely. He didn't care what happened to him, as long as they were safe.

"I do not have the energy to. I'm sorry Daniel it was not a conscious choice."

"It's okay." he soothed, gazing around the room as his eyes began adjusting to the darkness.

"I'm scared, Daniel." she admitted in a shaking whisper.

"We've been in worse situations than this before."

"When?"

"Good point." he tried to smile, keep the mood light-hearted to ease off her rising panic, but it wasn't easy. "Do you remember what Jack told you when I was kidnapped?"

"Even when it seems that the situation is completely hopeless you always find a way out?"

"That's the one." he nodded. "He wasn't lying. My first time on a Goa'uld ship like this I ended up alone, after begging Jack to leave me behind, with a lethal staff wound to the chest and the ship covered in C4 with the timers set and counting down. It was a close call, but if I can make it out of that on my own, then I can certainly get out of this one with your help," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

Her hopeful eyes gazed into his; she gently brought her hand up to caress his face. Her protector. "Thank you." she whispered sincerely.

Daniel dropped his chin to his chest, so he could take a deep calming breath without her seeing. He didn't wish her to realise that he was just as scared as she was; he was just in the habit of not letting it show.

All too soon for his liking, Leesia was struck with another painful contraction. Sitting behind her, he supported her against his chest and stroked her hair off her clammy forehead. Her labour was progressing far too quickly, her contraction were coming nearly on top of each other. _'Stuck on a broken down enemy ship, no one knows where we are, with my wife in labour. No apparent form of escape and no weapons. Things truly can't get any worse'_

"Daniel, I wish to push."

'_Apparently they can.' _"W-what? No-no-no-no, not yet. You can't be ready yet. It's too soon. It's only been…" he checked his watch. "…oohhh three hours. Will you let me check?" he asked and saw the briefest flash of fear in her eyes. "If you start pushing before you're ready you could hurt yourself or…" Her fear doubled. '_Okay that's making it worse.'_ "It's me. I won't hurt you."

"I know…I am sorry," she said remorsefully.

"Its okay." he said soothingly, after her last 'examination', her fear was understandable.

He waited until after her next contraction, before scooting to her side and gently easing his first two fingers inside her. She winced as he touched her.

"It's okay," he whispered.

Her eyes were closed, her head turned slightly away from him, but he could hear her whispered chant. "It is Daniel. It is Daniel. It is Daniel," she repeated to herself over and over.

"It's me," he quickly whispered back, confirming her chant. "It's just me. There's only us here."

He scissored his fingers apart, surprised when he managed to spread them as wide as he did. "Nine centimetres." he said shocked under his breath. He couldn't believe it. He had heard of some labours going quickly and he realised that hers would after its unnatural assistance, but he had only thought she would have been at five, maybe six centimetres. Seven at the most, but to be nine already!

Needing to check if the baby was breech, he pushed his fingers just a fraction further and felt tears of joy sting his eyes as he was overcome with emotion as his fingertips grazed over the dowdy hair of their baby's head and he felt his daughter for the first time.

"She's nearly here, Leesia," he said, the emotion chocking his voice. "But you can't push just yet."

"I want to, Daniel." she pleaded. "The pain is lessened when I do."

"I know it seems that way, but you mustn't, not just yet anyway. Trust me."

"I trust you." she just managed to get out before the now familiar tightness wrapped around her abdomen and began constricting. The pain, which intensified with each round, stabbed deep into her hips and spine with fierce resolve. She heard Daniel encouraging her to pant, through the pain, his gentle voice was a comfort, her only source of comfort in the relentless cycles of agony she was caught in. The burning sensation between her thighs urged her to push, but she took heed of his advice and panted through the pain.

"That's it. Just like that. You're doing wonderfully." he kept up the whispered encouragement throughout, until the contraction eased off.

Daniel wiped the sweat off his brow. "It's getting warmer in here." he said, more to himself than to her.

"Yes it is." she agreed, a touch of aggravation in her tone, as she panted.

"No, I mean - why? With the engines dead it should be getting colder."

"That is what you're worried out now?" she practically shouted in disbelief, as he got to his feet and speed to the window.

"Oh, God, no!" he gasped as he took in the blinding view. The disabled ship was being pulled straight into the sun.

'_Okay, surely now things can't get any worse. I need a plan'_ he thought quickly. The Jaffa hadn't managed to get power back to the ship, so he doubted he would fair any better. It was Leesia's ability that had taken out the ship and he suspected that only that would restore power to it. She wasn't able to while she was in labour, but maybe she could once their baby was born she could. Even if that was too much for her, he was confident that she would be able to manipulate enough of the Goa'uld technology for them to steal a glider and use that to make their escape back to Earth, they had been missing long enough for the SGC to be looking for them. His friends would be watching the skies; he just had to get them off this ship…before it was too late.

Leesia's scream of pain snapped him out of his planning; he raced back to her side.

"Shh, shh," he soothed imploringly, taken hold of her hand.

Her face was twisted in agony, her mouth open in a silent scream. "I can't do this, Daniel," she wept.

"Yes, you can."

"I have to push. I have to."

Daniel moved back between her thighs and checked her progress. "Okay, Lees, it's time. The next contraction, I need you to give me one long, hard, steady push."

Leesia screamed again, though whether due to pain or because she was startled by the sudden boom that rocked the door he couldn't tell.

"They found us," she gasped in terror.

The door let out a screech of metal as the Jaffa forced it open.

Daniel instantly took his position between them and his wife, as they surged into the darkened room. "You don't have to do this. The Jaffa are becoming free. You can join them. You don't have to follow a false God. We can help you."

They ignored him. "No, no, please." Daniel begged quickly, as they raised a Zat, aiming at his chest.

The electrical surge from the Zat blast radiated through him, over him, enveloped him. The ground rushed up to greet him and everything went blank.

…

The comforting warmth that surrounded him, protected him and gave him life, suddenly switched to harsh ear-splitting screams and hot unfriendly air.

Blinking, the baby opened his blue eyes for the first time and looked into the eyes of a woman. Her brow was moist with sweat and furrowed. Pain burned behind her hooded eyes and tear stains tracked down her cheeks, yet she gazed at him with a look of such intense overpowering love. She strained to hold her arms out to him, but even as she did he was pulled away from her.

No!

Why would he be taken from her?

He wanted to go back!

He wanted to feel what it was like to be held in the arms of that woman, who clearly already loved him so entirely. He was afraid. He wanted and needed her warmth and comfort. The baby let out a fearful cry.

He was laid on a cold, hard surface, his cries ignored. There he felt his first experience of pain as thousands of years of monsterous memories and knowledge were forced into his newborn mind.

Now he understood...

He understood everything.

He knew that the woman was his mother and he knew why he had been taken from her.

He saw what was planned for his future and tears ran down the sides of his tiny face as he was overcome with terror.

In the memories, he saw his father for the first time, through the eyes of another. _'If you know who I am, then you know I can wipe you from existence.' _His father was brace and just, but the feelings he got from the memory were ones of bright violence and hatred. He wished to destroy everyone and everything.

That wasn't right! These thoughts were not his own. He focused on the one image that he knew to be true: his mother.

He screamed so loud that his cries were silent as he was injected. He knew that there would now be millions of Nanites purging his tiny body, manipulating his cells, shortening his free life and stealing his youth. He knew that when they had completed their job, his life was as good as over.

He tried to beg, plead for his life, but his throat and voicebox were still too young to form the words he needed.

Such a short time after his birth and already time was running out on him.

...

There was nothing but the black velvet that surrounded him. No light reached his eyes. No sound touched him. No dreams breached the void. Just the cool, soft black. And peace. He could relax in the tranquillity of unconsciousness.

"Daniel?" The weak sound caused ripples that echoed across the nothingness. , shattering the peace of the perfect stillness.

Now there was a pain: a throbbing ache that gripped each one of his muscles, peeking in a ripping agony that flared in his left shoulder. He groaned and squeezed his eyes tighter shut. A futile attempt to preserve the serenity found behind his lids.

"Daniel!" her voice was more insistent now, it lifted him from the depths of unconsciousness. She sounded muffled and distant, as though he was listening to her from beneath a disturbed sea, but the turbulent tide was going out. Abandoning him on the harsh shores of reality.

His eyes flittered, then blinked slowly open barely taking in the golden tinted ceiling above him in the dim light. '_Trapped, Goa'uld ship, zatted.' _he remembered. The room was hot, dry and dark. '_Power out, heading towards sun.'_ The rusted smell of blood assaulted his nostrils. '_That's new!'_

"Daniel?" he heard the silk of her voice clearly now, it was bursting with pain. He was up, searching for the source of her voice in the darkened room.

Then he saw her and his stomach lurched in dread. "Oh Jesus Christ!" he gasped, there was so much blood. It coated her thighs and her flat stomach and pooled between her legs.

'_Flat stomach!' _

The reality of the situation hit him. Winded him like a punch in the gut. He dropped to his knees by her side.

"Daniel." she reached to him. Her left eye was swollen shut and below it, her cheekbone was cut and the purplish-red tone of bruising already making it known.

"I'm here." he took her hand while his visually assessed the rest of her condition. She wasn't pregnant anymore, that much was painfully evident. The blood that pooled in a large puddle between her legs looked black in the dim light. There was so much of it. Too much. More than he had ever seen in a birth before. "Oh God, what have they done to you?"

"Are you okay?" she asked him and he almost laughed from the implausibility of it. In the condition and pain that she must be in and she was asking _him _if _he _was okay.

"I'm fine, but I think you're haemorrhaging."

"They took him." she told him vacantly.

Her words hit Daniel like a slap, he stared at her. "Him?" his voice broke.

"Our son…Anubis wants him…for a host. I tried to stop them, Daniel. I couldn't." her voice seemed hollow as she spoke and he recognized the tone she was using. There was no emotion there. No grief, or despair it was empty of everything, but the pain she was trying to mask. She was holding back the reality, not letting herself believe it. He knew from experience that it was the only way to cope with a situation like this. It was what he had to do.

Forcing the terrifying thought from his mind, he focused on his wife. She needed help. There was only him. He had to concentrate. "Lees, I have to stop the bleeding." His expression switch to one of pure determination, as he eased himself over her. "Lees, I'm sorry but this is going to hurt."

She nodded. He steadied himself, not wanting to do this but knowing he had to. He placed his right hand on her lower stomach, his thumb and forefinger either side of her navel and pushed down hard. She screamed and tried to shove him off of her as he began to squeeze.

He was fighting against himself to do this for her, he hadn't expected to have to fight against her to. She pushed against his chest and he felt how truly weak she currently was. Making his resolve stronger, now he felt how much she really did need him to do this for her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he said, tightening his grip as she tried, in vein, to push him away.

"Daniel," she breathed hard through the pain.

"Shh, just try and relax okay."

"Daniel, go and get him…please." her voice was weak, she was fading fast, before his eyes.

"I can't leave you like this."

"Daniel… please!" she cried, but as the words left her lips her eyes rolled back and slowly closed.

"Lees?" he called to her, his voice breaking with panic. "Leesia! No Leesia, please wake up, Lees. Please!" he continued to squeeze as he pleaded with her. In the dim light he could feel he blood soaking through her clothes. "Oh God, Lees, hold on."

That was when he heard it.

The whisper quiet dual footsteps, steadily moving down the corridor towards them. The sound took him back to every horror movie he had ever been forced to sit through by older peers in his collage days. The lead character hiding, wounded, listening to the approaching psychopath.

Louder and louder the footfalls became as they approached.

Daniel held his breath, waiting. Hoping they'd move on past. Fearing they wouldn't.

"They should be around here, sir."

Daniel knew that soft voice. It was Sam.

"Daniel?…" Jack called in a hushed whisper. "Why am I whispering?"

"I was going to ask the same thing sir,"

"Daniel!" Jack called, louder this time.

"Jack!" Daniel called back. "We're in here."

Jack followed the sound of his friends voice and gasped in shock when he caught sight of the former Ancient. "Jeez! What the hell did they do to her?"

"Jack, we have to get the baby. They took the baby." Daniel's speech was almost too fast to understand. He was met by a uncomfortable silence and pained looks. He turned to Sam for an explanation.

"Daniel, we ran a scan of the ship. There were only two life signs on board." she told him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Daniel, but the baby's not here."

Jack pulled the radio to his lips. "We got them T, but Leesia's in pretty bad shape. Can you ask Thor if he can beam us straight to the infirmary?"

A couple of seconds later the bright flash of light answered his question.

* * *

><p>A.N~ I believe this is the quickest I have gotten a new chapter up (considering I was away for the weekend as well, that has shocked me). It is thanks to your kind words that encourage me, so to everyone that reviewed i thank you all X's, I hoped you like the next instalement.<p>

As always let me know what you think.


	16. Chapter 15 Broken

**Chapter 15 ~ Broken **

When the bright light faded they found themselves in the infirmary. Jack stood over the battered couple as if it was his presence that had guiding them to safety, Daniel knelt over Leesia, his hand still pressed firmly into her abdomen. He didn't even seem to notice their instant change in location, his attention focused solely on his deathly pale, unconscious wife. In the darkened ship the paleness of her skin tone was barely noticeable, but in the brightly lit infirmary it suddenly became painfully obvious just how much blood she had lost.

There was a short moment of astonishment from the medical staff at the sudden appearance of half the flagship team and the former Ancient into their surroundings, before Jack barked at them for assistance, Janet took charge and the infirmary became a hive of activity.

Daniel continued to apply pressure to her abdomen as the unconscious Leesia was lifted onto an bed and became the focus of Janet's worker bees. "How long has she been bleeding like this?" Janet asked him.

"I don't know, at least 15, 20 minutes."

"20 units of Oxytocin." Janet instructed. "And set up a large-bore IV, two units O negative." she said as she took over the fundal massage from Daniel.

"We've got a dislocated shoulder over here as well." Jack told the nurses, pointing at Daniel, who turned to stare at him in shock. "What?" Jack asked, seeing his friends stunned expression, "Did you think I didn't notice?"

The truth was, even though Daniel was still holding his wounded arm tight to his chest, he had forgotten all about it himself in the panic and chaos of the situation, it was only now Jack mentioned it that the pain began to register in his mind.

He was eased back, away from her and guided back onto a bed. He kept his eyes locked on Leesia, saw needles inserted and shots given, before he was manoeuvred onto his back and the mass of medical staff working around her blocked his view. Still he kept his sight fixed in her direction.

As professional fingers began prodding and fondling his injured shoulder he heard Janet announce that surgery was required and Leesia was wheeled out of the infirmary toward the theatre, escorted by Janet and her immediate team.

"Prepare an IV sedative," the Doctor examining him called to one of the nurses.

"No!" Daniel insisted, snapping his attention to the man for the first time. "I need to be awake."

"Doctor Jackson you will only be out for a few minutes."

"I said no." Daniel said softly, raising his eyebrows as if daring them to argue.

"Oh for crying out loud, Daniel," Jack snapped. "Just let them give you the damn anaesthetic."

"Jack," Daniel said, his tone was pleading and in that one mention of his name Daniel managed to tell his friend everything. Jack understood, with his wife in surgery and his newborn infant son missing somewhere in the cosmos, Daniel needed to think. He needed to be lucid. Now wasn't the time to be drugged, no matter for how long.

"Okay," the Doctor nodded, seeing that he had lost the support of the one person in the room who had a chance of talking some sense into Doctor Jackson. "Give me twenty-five millilitres of Novocaine."

Daniel tried not to wince as he was injected, repeatedly, directly into his swollen shoulder joint. "How did you find us?" he asked Jack, his curiosity flaring as well as wanting a much needed distraction from the pain.

Jack took a deep breath and keep eye contact with Daniel while he spoke, not wanting to see what the Doc was doing to his friend…or the size of the needle he was using. "Frasier got concerned when you didn't check in. When she rung you and got no answer I got sent round to check on the pair of ya. You need a new lock by the way. Anyway from the subtle clues you had left around the place, it looked like the pair of you had disappeared into thin air. An Asgard beam was the most likely explanation."

"Subtle clues?" Daniel questioned, his jaw tense as the physician took hold of his left arm gently, grasping above the inside of his elbow with one hand and holding his wrist with the other.

Jack continued. "Yeah, you know, house locked up from the inside, your bags still inside, as well as your keys, car still parked out the front, that sort of thing."

"Genius." Daniel said.

"Try to relax." the physician told Daniel, seeing how he was fisting the bed sheets with his free hand.

"This is about as relaxed as he's gonna get, Doc." Jack told him.

With another nod, the Doctor started slowly pulled down on Daniel's arm, forcing the clenched muscles to stretch.

Daniel felt like he was trapped in a medieval torture rack as the doctor began to manipulate his bones, trying to coerce them to slide back into position. The pain causing his eyes to water and the moisture to run down his face into his hair. He tried to concentrate on Jack's story.

"Anyway, we knew it wasn't the Asgard 'cause they'd taken you guys and not, well, me and we knew that Osiris's ship had to still be in orbit, so Carter ran some sort of scan thingy and found that three satellites had been knocked out by an EM pulse."

"It was Leesia's ability." Daniel said with a wince. "She took out the entire ship." Despite the pain, the pride in Daniel's voice was noticeable.

"Yeah, we figured as much. Anyway after that it was easy to find you. Just needed a ship"

"So you contacted the Asgard?"

"I called in a favour." Jack nodded. "They owed me one. For the whole Loki situation. Plus I think Thor feels a bit responsible, you know, with it being his brain they picked to get the beaming technology in the first-."

The rest of Jack's story was drowned out by Daniel's strangled cry of pain, as a crack signalled that his shoulder had popped back into the socket.

Daniel sighed in relief, as the Doctor gently bent his arm at the elbow and positioning it across his chest.

"Okay, Doctor Jackson, just hold that there for a second and rest. You'll have to go for an x-ray to make sure it's set in place."

"Thank you," Daniel said, his tone sounding anything but grateful.

The second the Doctor left the infirmary to arrange the x-ray, Daniel pushed himself into a sitting position and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Jack wanted to protest and insist that Daniel should be taking it easy, for a while at least, but he knew better, it would only lead to an argument and that was the last thing his friend needed right now.

"Hey, guess what the ship was called…The Daniel Jackson."

Daniel fidgeted. "Yeah? That's…nice." He was itching to get out of the infirmary and find out what was happening with Leesia's surgery.

Picking up on his friends discomfort, Jack restlessly shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Yeah, shame you didn't get to see it."

"Maybe I will." Daniel said absentmindedly, his eyes focused on the door, more than a little tempted to make a bolt for it. He could have an x-ray later, once he knew Leesia was okay.

"Hope not," Jack continued with the small talk, doing his best to prevent Daniel's overactive mind from slipping into the turmoil that he could already see threatening in his distinct eyes. "Every time we're on one of their ships it's because something bad is happening."

"Good point." Daniel said, rewarding Jack with a slight smile for his efforts.

…

Daniel paced, his free hand deep in his pocket, his shoulders hunched forwards. Every time he reached the end of the observation room he stole a glance at the operating theatre below and each time he wished he hadn't. There was too many wires...and tubes…and drips…and blood…and latex gloves with red coated fingers, too many people in masks working over her immobile form and yet he couldn't seem to stop himself.

The second the x-ray had confirmed that his shoulder was set correctly and a sling had been fitted (which he was told he would have to ware for a few day to allow his stretched or possibly torn soft tissue to heal), he had sprinted from the infirmary straight to the observation area of the theatre. However, once there, the waiting had begun.

It had been hours. Hours of pacing and panicking. Twice his heart had lodged itself in his throat when the alarm had sounded its warning that her pulse rate had dropped to critical levels and the crash team had rushed into action. He hadn't been able to move…or breath as they worked over her, fighting to keep her alive…Until, after what seemed like an eternity, the machine had finally returned to its pulsating rhythm. Daniel had huffed out a sigh of relief so hard that it had hurt his throat and he returned to his pacing and panicking, but added praying into the mix.

Jack returned, with a coffee for each of them. He handed one to Daniel, who took it gratefully. "Any change?"

Daniel shock his head, taking a slip of the boiling beverage, wincing at the bitter taste _'Jack forgot the sugar…again_.' He set down the mug and continued his pacing.

Jack sat back in one of the few office chairs, ran his fingers through his greying hair and observed his closest friend. It seemed impossible to think that this was the same person whom, only two nights ago, he had been chasing around the bar trying to keep him away from a 'Hathor' look-a-like and listening to his giddy banter. That Daniel had been so excited, happy and carefree, that he radiated joy to the point where his smile had been contagious. This Daniel, however looked…broken. Sure, in true 'Jackson' style, he was putting on a brave front, but Jack knew him too well and for too long to be fooled by the act.

He was aware that the chance of getting Daniel to take a break where slim to none, but he tried anyway. "Should you really be up?"

"It's just my shoulder, my legs are fine."

"And they're gonna be a couple of inches shorter if you keep pacing up and down here like a caged beast."

"I'll risk it." Daniel said drying.

"Okay, but when you fall through the hole you're warring out in the floor, and end up in the mess, you can bring up the coffee." Jack said, hoping that he would raise at least a polite smile from Daniel. He was disappointed. The archaeologist just continued his relentless cycle; Pace to the end of the room, steal a glace at the theatre, eyes back to the floor, back to the other side of the room, another glance…and so it continued.

Subtlety hadn't worked, so Jack tried the direct approach. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll can keep a visual."

"I'm fine."

There is was; the 'fine' always used when things were undoubtedly not 'fine'. "Never said you weren't," Jack answered quickly. "But you might as well, while you've got the chance."

"No, I need to be here when she wakes up." Daniel said with a firmness that told Jack it would be pointless to argue with him further. He was determined that the first thing Leesia saw, the second her eyes opened, would be him. The thought that the last thing she had seen, before she passed out, was him hurting her was haunted him. Even if he had been trying to stop the bleeding and save her life, he hated the fact that he had caused her more pain. The scream that she had let out as he had squeezed her abdomen echoed through his deeply troubled mind. She had tried to push him away, but he had stood his ground, like some harbinger of agony. If she died on that table and that was the last thing she saw…

"…If she wakes up," he added under his breath.

"You can't think like that. Besides won't she just…" Jack raised his arms, palms up, fingers wide, miming something rising up to the ceiling.

"Ascend?" Daniel offered, shaking his head so minutely that had Jack not been watching him as closely as he was he would have missed it altogether.

"Why not? She could take a trip to the lighter planes, catch up with some old pals and be back in time for breakfast."

Daniel shook his head sadly, his chin dropping to rest on his chest. "It doesn't work like that. When she became human, it was permanent. There's no going back."

"One way ticket ay?" Jack said with a thoughtful nod.

Daniel took a quick look at his friend over the top of his glasses. It was clear what he was trying to do; keep the mood light in an attempt to drive away the negative thoughts and feelings, it was Jack's way…it was SG-1's way. Their faked nonchalance attitudes kept them strong in the face of overwhelming odds, grave dangers and potentially deadly situations. However, this was not one of those times and Daniel was struggling to erect the protective walls around his heart.

He collapsed into a chair and quickly covered his face with both his hands, to hide the wetness that suddenly started leaking from his eyes. "I can't lose her." he whispered desperately, even saying the words made the ache in his heart flare.

"That's not gonna happen, Danny boy." Jack said confidently. "That's Janet Never-Gives-Up-On-A-Patient Frasier with her. To say she's in the best possible hands wouldn't do the Doc justice. You know better than most what that woman-" Jack's speech was interrupted by the buzz of the telephone on the wall behind his head.

Jack picked it up on the second ring. "O'Neill…Yes, sir…We're on our way."

"We are?" Daniel asked with raised eyebrows as Jack replaced the phone.

"Carter and Teal'c are back, Hammonds called a briefing."

Daniel's attention turned longingly back to Leesia. His need for information regarding his son conflicting with his need to be with her. He didn't want to be away from her for any length of time, but what choice did he have.

Seeing Daniel's reluctance to leave, Jack quickly stepped out into the hallway. "Hey you!" he shouted at a passing Lieutenant. "You busy?"

Nervously, the young man looked up at the senior officer. "Well, actually, sir I was-"

"Good." Jack interrupted. "Listen, I need you to keep an eye on the situation here. The second there is any change, no matter how small, you're to call the briefing room immediately. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Jack stepped out into the hall and waited for Daniel to join him. With one long lingering look at Leesia, Daniel reluctantly followed.

The corridors were busy with SGC staff, most of whom gave them curious looks of concern as they passed by, telling them that the news of what had happened to their resident Archaeologist and his new bride during the night had filtered through the grape vine.

When they reached the briefing room they found the others already waiting for them.

Hammond gestured for the pair of them to be seated and turned to Daniel. The younger man kept his head down to hide his red lined eyes, but it was clear to everyone he was worried sick. His usual can-do, never give up spirit seemed to have been replaced with a more subdued hopelessness, as if he carried the weight of the world on his weary shoulders.

"It's good to see that you're alright, Son." Hammond said in his usual Texan drawl. "I realise you must be keen to be with your wife, but I thought you would want to be here to hear this first hand."

Mutely, Daniel nodded, not trusting his voice not to break at that moment.

"What is the condition of Leesia Jackson?" Teal'c inquired.

Daniel coughed to cleared his emotionally tight throat, so he could answer, but before he got chance to speak Jack answered for him. "She's still in surgery at the moment, T."

"Let's start at the beginning people." Hammond ordered, calling the meeting to order. The quicker they got through this briefing and into action the better for all concerned. His flagship team would not sit around twiddling their thumbs and wagging their tongues for long before their patients ran out, but he needed to have all the bases covered. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the briefing table and interlocking his fingers, turning to Sam gesturing for her to start the proceedings.

"When we got to the ship it became apparent that the power had been taken out. We assumed it was Leesia's ability." Sam said, looking to Daniel for conformation.

He nodded, taking a long wavering breath.

"It was caught in the gravitational pull of the sun. A scan of the ship showed only two human life signs on board."

"Doctor Jackson and Leesia?"

"Yes, sir." Sam validated.

"So, where was the baby?"

"The glider bays were damaged and a substantial number of the gliders missing." Teal'c said. "We deduced that when Anubis's Jaffa where unable to return power to the ship they used them to make their escape, taking the infant with them."

Sam continued her explanation for the General's benefit. "Colonel O'Neill and I beamed aboard to find them and assess the situation. Once we found them it was clear that Leesia's condition was critical so Colonel O'Neill brought them back here, while Teal'c and I searched the ship for any clues and Thor towed the ship back into our orbit."

"So what did you find?" Jack asked.

"We did managed to extract some data. It looks like Anubis knew about Leesia's pregnancy before she became human. Once she did he began looking into human/Ancient hybrids."

Teal'c took over. "As a part ascended being, any humans he took as host quickly perished. It is his belief that he will achieve better results with the Jackson's son. If he is successful then he will become a more formidable enemy."

"Oh, hell no!" Jack shot out angrily. "That's gonna happen over my dead body. Tell me you got an address."

"We got an address." Sam confirmed.

"Yes!" Jack said punching the air.

No one joined him in his celebration.

"Not, yes?" he inquired, lowing his arms slowly.

Sam looked pained. "The ship was heading for Tararus."

"As in Super Solider grand central?"

"Yes, sir."

"Damn." Jack sighed out.

Daniel pulled off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes closed, as if he could will out the images that flooded into his mind. Tararus, Anubis's main base of operation, was primarily used as a lab. The thought of what his son would be subjected to when the Jaffa reached their destination sent a fierce shiver down his spine.

"Would you like a minutes, Doctor Jackson?"

He looked up to find four pairs of eyes watching him with concerned sorrowfulness.

"No, I'm fine." he managed to choke out.

Unconvinced, but needed to keep the briefing moving Hammond turned to the others. "How do you propose getting there? The force shield over the Stargate made it impenetrable to all but the Kull warriors."

"Or by ship." Sam continued. "While the power is still down for most of it I did managed to get this working." Sam said, placing on the desk in view of everyone a modified hand device. "It's the same as the one Osiris used to beam directly in and out of Daniel's house. It activates the beaming technology on the ship remotely. We can use it to beam directly onto the planet."

"There are powerful sensors surrounding the planet that would detect the approach of a ship?"

"Yes, sir, but that's where we ran into some luck."

Daniel's head shot up, hope flaring in his blue eyes for the first time.

"The ship was fitted with a homing beckon, similar to the ones Apophis fitted to his death gliders."

"Anubis will be expecting the ships return." Daniel realised with a nod, seeing where Sam's thoughts were leading.

"Exactly." Sam said with a smile, pleased that she could give him some much needed good news. "So, he wont fire upon it. All we have to do is get the ship working again and let the homing beckon do its job."

"Then we can beam down and snatch the kid back," Jack said. "Piece of cake."

"The modified TER's have yet to be been testing in live a situation." the General said.

"I'm willing to take the risk, sir." Daniel insisted.

"So am I." Jack added, at the same time that Sam said "Me too, sir."

"As am I." Teal'c concluded.

The General nodded, unsurprised by the teams response. "How long will it take to have the ship operational?"

"It'll take at least a few days to get the engines and hyper-drive up and running, the rest can be repaired on route."

Everyone's eyes turned to the phone as it rang. The General picked up the receiver. "Hammond…thank you Lieutenant." He looked over to Daniel who was on the edge of his seat. "She's out of surgery."

Before Hammond had even hung up, Daniel was up and sprinting from the briefing room. He ran as fast as his exhausted body would allow and only realised that the rest of SG-1 were hot on his heals when he was stalled waiting for the elevator.

He repeatedly jabbed at the 21 button in a futile attempt to speed up the elevators assent. The second the doors parted, he was off running again, coming to a skidding halt when he almost collided with Janet.

"Howisshe?" he asked so quickly the question came out as one word.

"She's going to be fine," Janet assured him quickly and Daniel let out a held breath, that he hadn't been aware of holding, in a long sigh of relief.

"The main danger was her haemorrhaging and the amount of blood loss she had already sustained when she came in. We've given her a transfusion and she's now stable, but there was a lot of internal damage. It was close, but thankfully, we managed to avoid a hysterectomy."

Daniel's stunned wide eyed, open mouthed expression deepened. He was aware of the haemorrhaging, that had been painfully obvious, but internal damage sever enough for Janet to consider a hysterectomy was a shocking revelation. "It was that bad?"

"I'm afraid so. The damage that she has sustained isn't typical of a natural or assisted delivery." Janet's features softened, turning her from professional Doctor to concerned friend in an instant. "Daniel, I'm really very sorry, but looks like the baby was taken from her by force."

"Oh, god…" Daniel croaked. He forced himself to ask the question he didn't want to hear the answer to. "How?"

"I can't be sure, but the damage looks too...precise."

"He was cut out?" Daniel said hearing the same emotionless tone to his voice that he had heard from Leesia before. Although his mind was closing itself off, trying to protect itself, but apparently his body had other ideas. Janet handed him a tissue. He hadn't even realised he was crying.

Janet's small nod was deeply troubled. "That's what it looks like. To be honest with you, I'm surprised she even survived it."

"Jeez." Jack breathed, placing a comforting hand on his friends shaking shoulder.

"And if it wasn't for your treatment, she probably wouldn't have. Daniel, your quick thinking probably saved her life."

Daniel turned his tear stained face up to her, the news did little to ease the ache in his heart. "Can I see her?"

Janet nodded. "She's been moved to recovery for the moment. It'll be a while for the anaesthetic to ware off, but I'm arranging for some private quarters for you both given her aversion to the infirmary. She'll still need to be monitored regularly, but I think it'll be less stressful for her this way."

"Thank you," Daniel said sincerely, knowing how much an inconvenience that arrangement would be for her and her staff. "I should be there when she wakes up."

Jack watched his friend slump off in the direction of recovery, the wariness of his movements was a heartbreaking sight. He was physically and emotionally exhausted and Jack doubted that would ease once Leesia was awake.

"We need to get out there, get the kid and bring him home as soon as possible." he said, unnecessarily to the other two members of his team. '_For both their sakes.'_

…

The sight that met Daniel in the recovery room was not a pleasant one. However, he appreciated that it was substantially better than the one he had been faced with for hours before while he had watched her surgery. The ghostly paleness of her skin was now replaced with a tender pink tone, that was closer to the colour he was used to seeing on her, yet there was a waxy coolness to it, that served as a subtle reminder of what she had endured. As if he needed one.

There was a plastic hard-backed chair in the corner of the room and he quickly dragged it across the floor as close to her bed as was physically possible. He perched on the edge to get closer still and gently took hold of her hand. It seemed so small in his. Her hands were naturally tiny, but now it just made her seem more delicate, more fragile, more breakable. He swallowed back a hard lump in his throat, as he wondered if the way the tingles had decreased were due to her not being pregnant anymore or because of her weakened state. Quickly he pushed the thought aside, both could be true and neither made him feel any better.

The regular electrical beep, beep, beep, from the machine that were monitoring her vitals, echoed through the still sterile air. He was used to that sound, in his years on SG-1 he had heard it more times than he cared to remember. Usually he found it irritating and tuned it out, but now each tiny bleep reminded him that she was alive! Each pulse proved that there was a silver lining around this thick black storm cloud. He embraced the ray of joy that stabbed though the bleakness of his overwhelming despair. He hadn't lost her, she was going to be okay and they had even had a plan to get their son back.

Their son. He had been desperately trying not to think about what could be happening to him. Knowing that when he breached that void it was be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pull himself out of the whirlpool of anguish that he would find himself in. But now they had a plan, they would get him back…the silver lining grew a little thicker.

Tenderly, he pressed a kiss on the back of her knuckles and laid his weary head on his wrist, close to their joined hands. From this distance he could smell the subtle floral citrus scent of her skin. It was the aroma of comfort.

Slowly, his heavy eyes flittered closed.

It only seemed like moments later (although the dryness in his mouth and stiffness in his neck told him that it must have been substantially longer) that a slight moan rolled softly from her and woke him. Instantly, Daniel jerked his head up. "Leesia." he called hopefully, pressing the call button to alert Janet.

There was a long seconds pause, before her lips slightly parted. "Daniel?"

"I'm here."

Keeping her eyes closed, she reached for him. He took her hand and pressed her palm against his cheek. "I'm right here. We're home. You're safe."

"You got us out."

"No, it was the others, they found us."

"Our baby?" she asked in a hushed voice, engraved with agony.

Daniel fought down the lump in his throat. "I'm so sorry, Lees. I couldn't leave you like that and when Jack and Sam got there he was already gone. But we know where he is. We're going to get him back."

She turned her desperate eyes up to him, they flared with agony. "You didn't find him."

"I'm sorry." he said, bowing his head. "I didn't get us out in time. I let you down… I fail you."

"Daniel." Jack's voice broke through his guilt ridden confession. He hadn't even realised Jack was there. "Can I borrow you a minute?"

"Now's really not a good time." Daniel sniffed.

"Has to be now." Jack insisted.

Daniel scrubbed his hand roughly over his face in annoyance. "I'll be right back." he told Leesia, leaning over her and gently leaving a kiss on her forehead. She gazed up at him fleetingly as he rose, but didn't respond.

As soon as they were alone Jack rounded on his best friend. "I'm only gonna say this once Daniel. This guilt you're putting on yourself …Get over it!"

Daniel mouth dropped open and he stared at his friend in disbelief.

"We all know that you can be a stubborn little S.O.B sometimes, well most of the time actually, we all can and that's probably what's kept us alive doing what we're doing. You've needed it, but trust me when I say this is not one of those times."

"Look, Jack I appreciate what you're trying to do, but-"

"-No buts, Daniel." he interrupted. Jack observed his shoes carefully as he continued. "After Charlie…with Sara…" he swallowed hard, unable to finish either sentences. "I couldn't let it go. She forgave me, but I couldn't. Even now. It cost me my marriage. What happened was not your fault, Daniel and if I know that young lady in there like I think I do, she wont put any blame on you, so don't put any on yourself. Don't make the same mistake I made."

A light tapping of high heels on the hard floor announced Janet's arrival moments before she appeared around the corner.

"She woke up a few minutes ago." Daniel told her.

Daniel went to follow the Doctor, but paused and turned back to Jack. "You know, what happened to Charlie…that wasn't your fault either."

"Yeah." Jack sighed doubtfully, his attention staying fixed on his shoes as he kicked at the floor.

Briefly the two friends made eye contact. They didn't need to put into word what was being said. The simply look was all the pair needed to convey their understanding of the depth of each others pain and show that they knew they had the support of the other.

With a thoughtful nod, Daniel turned and jogged away to catch up with Janet, managing to fall alongside her as they entered the recovery room.

"Hey," Janet greeted the former Ancient, "How're you feeling?" she asked as Daniel immediately took up his post by his wife's side.

Leesia didn't respond as Daniel took back hold of her free hand, she just blinked up at the Doctor who had started checking over her vitals. "Uh, confused, tired, nauseas, sore, yet…numb." she admitted weakly.

"Well, that's to be expected. You're on a lot of medication at the moment. But you're going to be just fine." Janet told her, patting her arm.

Daniel squeezed her hand and she finally looked up to him, a flitting glimmer of hope shining briefly on her face, before she dropped her gaze and her fingers grazed delicately over his sling. "The Jaffa?" she asked. "You fought back."

He nodded. "It's okay." he whispered, wishing that she would look at him. Over their time together he had seen many emotions playing through those beautiful eyes of hers, but he had never before seen what he had just witnessed in her fleeting glance. She had seemed…hallow, empty on the surface, but there was another emotion intensely burning beneath. It looked almost like…anger.

With Leesia vitals all in the green, Janet escorted the couple to the private quarters she had arranged for her recovery. When everything was set up, she pulled Daniel aside.

"There is a proviso to you using this room." Janet began, noticing she only had half of Daniel's attention, his eyes wouldn't leave Leesia for longer than a few seconds. "And that is that you get some rest yourself."

"I'm fine." Daniel replied with his automatic response, his arms wrapping around his waist, his gaze falling back to his wife.

"You've been up for over thirty hours straight, Daniel. You're physically and mentally exhausted." she argued. "Get some sleep. Doctors orders."

"I'll try." Daniel said with a small nod.

"That's all I ask." Janet said turning to leave, but Daniel called her name, halting her in the doorway. She turned back to face him.

"Thank you." he said with a weak smile, the sincerity of his words shining though his troubled eyes.

She returned his smile. "If either of you need anything-"

"-I'll call." he promised.

As soon as Janet closed the door behind her and they were alone, Daniel undone the Velcro straps of the sling, slipped it off and tossed it onto the sideboard. He expected to hear Leesia protest, insist that he keep it on, but she remained completely silent. And when he glanced over to her, he saw that she had turned on her side to face the door and was staring, blankly into some obligatory space ahead of her.

"You okay?" he asked gently, knowing it was a stupid question, only wanting to hear her voice something, anything. Mutely, she blinked, gave him a fleeting glance, then continued her stare into nothing.

Realising she wasn't willing to speak about what she had been through, Daniel moved around the bed and slipped in behind her. He wrapped his good arm around her, offering the only comfort he could think of. She gripped his hand tightly, pulling it even tighter around her as she trembled in his arms. He raised himself up onto his elbow to allow it. It made his shoulder throb, but he didn't care, he would give her any comfort he could, regardless of any pain it cost him.

He held her that way for a long time, until he finally heard her speak.

"I feel dead." she said, her tiny hollow voice shattered the still silence.

His brow furrowed in pain as he listened her words that seemed to punch straight through his chest.

"I can feel the air filling my lungs with each breath…and I can feel every throb of my heart…but I am dead."

He reached over her and softly cupped her cheek in his palm. "Feel me, Leesia." he whispered as the tingles jumped between them. She had used the same method, albeit the other way around, to show him exactly how exhausted his body had been once before, he used it now to show her how much life still flowed inside her. "You cant be dead if we still spark."

She broke down then, big heavy tears poured freely down her cheeks as she shook with sobs. She spun in his arms so she could bury her face into his chest, her tears wetting the front of his t-shirt.

"I wish I were. You should have let me die Daniel. Why did you save me, only to face this?"

Her words it him like a slap. He pulled her tighter to him, to ensure the look of horror that he knew was plastered to his face was hidden from her and whispered "Because I need you."

Slowly she brought her head up to look at him. Her tears had ceased and she wore a look of shocked mournfulness. "Oh God, Daniel." she gasped. "I'm sorry…I should…I should not have said that. I did not mean…Daniel?"

"It's okay, it's okay." he tried to sooth her.

"I did not mean that Daniel. I do not know why I said that…I could never leave you. I need you also." her fingers grazed over his face as if she could wipe away the hurt look he wore with her touch. "I am sorry…so sorry."

"We'll get him back. I swear to you, we will"

He held her that way, tight to his chest, while rocking her gently, until (after much silent sobbing) she succumb to the effects of the painkillers and fell asleep in the safety of her loves arms. It was a long while later that Daniel's own exhaustion forced him to surrendered to the demands of a much needed slumber himself.

He didn't know if it was mere minutes or hours later when he was awoken by her moans and a pain that flared through his shoulder, as it protested to the position he had been in.

Realising he was too anxious to return to sleep, he gently eased himself away from her sleeping form and as carefully as he could, slipped out of bed. The throbbing in his shoulder forced him to put the sling back on and he started padding silently back and forth along the room. His arms wrapped around himself in a self hug, his eyes never leaving her. Her moaning grew louder and more frequent as he continued pacing up and down. Then she twisted in the bed. The tiny thrash wrapping, the already low sheets, down around her legs.

The warmth in the room meant she wouldn't get cold, but the movement showed off the new flatness of her abdomen and Daniel had to bring his clenched fist to his mouth to bite back a cry of rage. Her startled twitch informing him that it was a nightmare she was having and not just a dream. He thought about waking her, but hesitated, unsure. She had been through so much, emotionally, as well as physically and she needed to rest, in order to heal.

"No…Please…do not…My baby!" her cries, soft and low, but full of pain, made his decision for him. He moved quickly to the bed to wake her. He may not have been able to spare her the reality, but he could rescue her from the nightmare. But as he got closer he noticed something.

Because of her twisting the gown that she wore had ridden higher on her, revelling a wide stripe of her torso. In the dim light he had mistaken the markings for shadow, but as he neared he saw the reality. Angry black-purple markings, leaked out from under the hem, staining her pale skin, as evidence of what she had endured. He had never seen bruising that severe before. Janet's words echoed through his head _'taken from her by force'._

"Leesia, wake up. You're dreaming." he said softly as he held her.

She thrashed, trying to break the confines of his embrace.

"It's me. It's Daniel. You're safe. It's okay." he told her trying to sooth her. He held his grip on her, even though she had twisted around and was shoving against his chest with all her strength.

It took a few moments for her to realise what he had said, but she stopped fighting him and looked up at his face. She looked so weary and confused. "Daniel?"

"I'm here. It's okay." he soothed, pulling her back into his arms and kissing the top of her head.

"It is not okay." she said her voice muffled against his chest.

"I know." he admitted mournfully, "…But it will be." he added, making his words a promise. He would stop at nothing to make his vow true.


	17. Chapter 16 Desperate Acts

**A.N. ~ **I want to thank Kazamen for eliminating my writers block, without your encouragement this chapter would have taken a lot longer to complete, and for the brainstorming that will help with future chapters. Thanks a million.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16 ~ Desperate Acts.<strong>

Daniel paused in the doorway to his office, took a big swig from his coffee mug and observed the sight before him. He had left, half an hour before, to meet with Sam regarding the progress of the repair of the ship; the results of which where that it was going to take longer than she had first thought. There were simply too many crystals to be restored for it to be a quick fix. Now he had returned, he found Leesia in exactly the same position she had been in before he left.

She was perched on the high stool at his workbench, her elbows on the surface, and her head in her hands, staring down at the image below. Her yellow note book to her right, poised and ready to store her findings, remained disturbingly blank. Daniel was starting to regret his suggestion for her to return to work to keep her mind busy on other matters. She had made a remarkable recovery over the last few days, but she still had some healing to do.

He softly cleared his throat to announce his presence (having learnt recently that sneaking up on her in her current jumpy state was not a good idea), and stepped up behind her, loving grazing his hand up her spine. "How's it going?" he asked softly, glancing over her shoulder to see what she was studying. It was the same stake of photo print outs he had given her earlier. SG-2 had done a survey of P3X-439, on finding ruins on the planet they had photographed the text and upon returning to the SGC had giving the pictures to Daniel to translate. He had immediately turned them over to Leesia, as he did was most of the Ancient translations, thus leaving himself free to work on the information Sam was regularly sending back from the ship.

"Uh, slowly," she admitted, in the hallow tone that he was getting used to hearing from her. "I keep getting…distracted."

At the hint of aggravation in her voice, Daniel immediately stopping his caress of her back and jerked his hand away. He nodded thoughtfully and murmured a "Sorry", before turning to his overloaded desk.

He knew that if he had Leesia's help the translation would be going a lot faster, but he refused to let her. Very early on, he had found a section of the log referring to the orders Anubis had given his Jaffa regarding their mission to secure their baby. Their primary objective was to get the baby and return to Tararus, by whatever means necessary. Their secondary was to leave Leesia and himself alive, for the purpose of if his first use of the child proved unsuccessful, Anubis could try again with any future offspring they may have. The thought of how their baby was being used and that Anubis had viewed Leesia and himself as nothing more than breeding stock had made Daniel feel so nauseas he had been violently sick right there in his office. There was no way he was going to allow Leesia to know any of this.

As Sam had promised, he found another large section to be translated, waiting for him when he powered up his laptop. He was grateful to find that at first glance it appeared to be details on the amalgamations of the Asgard technology onto the ship. He worked diligently for hours, only understanding half of the technical data, and sent his translations back to Sam before he noticed how much time had passed.

He looked up from his computer screen and gave a worried glance over to his wife. She had hardly moved and as he watched, he saw her head drooped fractionally lower and noticed that she was struggling to keep her weary eyes open.

He stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back, leaning her against his chest. Gratefully, she dropped her head back onto his shoulder and ran her hands down his forearms.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asked, as he pressed a kiss in her hair.

"When was the last time _you _slept?" she threw back at him, her voice touched with annoyance. "Do not assume that you require less sleep than I."

"I am not recovering from major blood lose," he countered.

She turned her attention back to the photo printouts. "I will sleep when you do." she told him obstinately.

Daniel huffed in annoyance. He needed to work, needed to keep his mind busy. The second he stopped his mind would turn back to that ship and he would be plagued with thoughts of what he could have done differently. The million and one 'what ifs' that could have resulted in him saving their son. He knew that Leesia was doing the same thing, as he was which is why he had continued working way past the point of exhaustion, they both needed this life line from the torment that dogged them relentlessly. However, enough was enough; she had nearly died on that operating table and had to rest. Had she not been here he would have continued to push himself further, but if him getting some rest as well was her condition than that was what had to happen.

"Fine," he said softly, gently pulling her off her stool. "Come on."

He could see that she wanted to argue, but was grateful that she didn't. She scooped up the stack of photos and allowed him to guide her out of the office and together, in thoughtful silence, they made their way to their quarters.

He helped her undress so she could shower and then changed the dressing on her operation wound across her bikini line for her. She remained completely silent throughout, leading him, once again, to the thought that she blamed him. He had lost count of how many times in the last few days the thought had occurred to him. There was just no other reason, which he could think of, that would explain her drastic change in attitude towards him. She only spoke when asked a direct question and on the rare occasions that she did make eye contact with him, it was brief and pained. All of his favourites of her expressions had vanished; the mischievous grin, the questioning puppy head tilt, the eyes-lit-up smile, all of them existed only in his memories, having been replaced by a hollow void. And, he knew that he would only see them again when he got their baby back.

As he stripped off himself and stepped into the shower stall, he pictured how the scene would play out in his head. He saw the gateroom, brightly lit by the wavering light of the active Stargate, Leesia waiting expectantly at the bottom of the ramp. He saw Jack, Sam and Teal'c precede him through the wormhole and then he would emerge from the event horizon, eyes locked on the tiny bundle, swathed in blue, cradled in his arms. Leesia would rush up to meet him and he would gently handover their son into his mother's arms.

'_It will happen!' _he thought as he shed secret tears. _'Whatever it takes. It will happen!'_

Tears dried and breathing even, he returned the bedroom. He set his alarm for the early morning briefing, folded his glasses next to it and slipped into bed behind her. The slight shakiness to her breaths informed him that he wasn't the only one who had spent some private tears. She didn't move as he spooned himself around her, taking up his usual position, hoping that his closeness would be a comfort to her, but as he wrapped his arm lightly around her waist she snuggled deeper into his embrace and they whispered their love to each other.

The scratching of her pencil woke him two hours before his alarm was due to go off. Leesia was sitting up in bed scribbling feverously upon her note pad. He watched her for a few moments, while he blinked the sleep from his eyes. The dark circles under her eyes were more prominent and her lids were heavy.

"Did you get any sleep?" he asked, his voice croaking slightly due to the early hour.

She jumped, startled.

"Sorry," he said, sitting up. "I didn't mean to scare you." He dipped his head so he could place a kiss to her shoulder. "Want some help?"

"No need." she said, ripping the sheet from the pad and handing it to him. "I have finished."

He glanced over her findings, noticing that her usual bubbly handwriting had been replaced with a hurried jaggedness.

Suddenly he sat bolt upright. "It's another repository of knowledge," he gasped out, as he concluded reading her report. "I had no idea there was more than one."

"It is relevant?" she asked, sounding surprised by his excited reaction.

"Uh, maybe not right now, but it's certainly significant."

…

The second Daniel entered the briefing room his heart plummeted. He had been hoping, right down to his toes, for the news that the ship was ready and they would be getting the go ahead for the mission, but as he took in the sight before him, he felt all that hope rush out of him in one huge burst of disappointment.

General Hammond sat in his usual position at the head of the table, the scowl he wore easy to read. He knew what was in store and clearly was not looking forward to it. Jack sat to his left, mirroring much of the General's distaste. Teal'c's usual relaxed appearance had been replaced by one of tense restraint and Sam looked sorrowful to the point of looking pained. But, it was who was sat on Hammond's right that had Daniel the most concerned.

"Thank you for joining us, Doctor Jackson." Woolsey greeted.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked warily, as he took his seat next to Sam.

No one seemed to want to answer his question. Eventually it was Hammond who braved the inevitable.

"We've just received word from the Tok'ra. Anubis is gathering his forces."

…

Back in the quarters, Leesia paced, feeling useless. Her eyes flicked back, for what felt like the hundredth time to the clock hanging on the wall. The hands marking out the slowly changing time on their continuous circular path.

The meeting was taking too long. Every second, was a second longer she was parted from her child; every second was one longer than she could bear. She couldn't stay here doing nothing while her baby was out there, alone and unprotected with the enemy.

Daniel had to seek General Hammond's permission to act, but nothing was stopping her. Her eyes fell upon Daniel's laptop abandoned on the sideboard. Speedily, she powered it up, and began searching through the data, hunting for the answer for the only question that she currently cared about; where was her baby?

There! There was the answer: Tararus, followed by the chevron symbols she needed.

She had the address. She knew what had to be done.

With determination in her stride, she headed for the gateroom.

…

The fate of the planet is more important." Woolsey barked. "That ship may be our best chance of defence if Anubis turns his attentions here, so we cannot permit its use for nothing more than a rescue mission."

"Nothing more?" Daniel's brow furrowed further, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You're talking about the life of an innocent child."

Woolsey waved his hand through the air, as if sweeping the comment aside. "If what you say is true, then Anubis is going to want to keep him alive. Doctor Jackson, I believe your emotional involvement is clouding your judgment here."

"My emotional involvement?" Daniel repeated, another frown line appearing on his already crowded forehead as his eyebrows rose even higher. "I can't think of a time when I wasn't emotionally involved."

"You're an ass. Woolsey." Jack spat out.

Teal'c leaned slightly forward, his hand gripping hard on the armrest of the chair, as if he was holding himself back. He glared at the balding man. "On Chulak these people would be seen as warriors of the highest standing, asking them to sacrifice one of their own, whatever the reason, would be seen as an act of treason and they would be entitled to take your head as retribution."

Woolsey stood his ground, keeping his head high. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing that we're not on Chulak." he replied, the waviness to his voice betraying his forced bravery. "The fact of the matter is that the value of one life cannot be weighed against the lives of millions."

"Actually the fact of the matter is; that one ship is not going to make a whole heap of difference against Anubis's fleet." Jack argued.

"What else can we do?" Hammond asked his flagship team, doing his best to ignore Woolsey. As much as he despised what the man was saying and how he was saying it, he couldn't help but notice the man's point. If he allowed SG-1 to go to rescue the baby now, there would most likely not be an Earth left for them to return to. "Recent Intel suggests that Anubis has become a serious threat to dominate the rest of the Goa'uld in a very short time. We have to consider Earth is at risk now, more than ever. Without another way of defending the planet, I can't-"

"The lost city!" Daniel suddenly blurted out, interrupting the General. "It stands to reason that it must hold something significantly more powerful than anything he currently has. He wouldn't have been searching for it otherwise."

"We still have no idea where it is." Hammond pointed out.

"Leesia finished the P3X-439 translation. I believe we've found the location of a second repository of the Ancients."

"Repository?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, you know, that thing that grabbed your head, made you talk crazy, nearly killed you." Daniel said, his words spilling out at such speed they nearly pilled on top of each other.

"Sounds like we should stay away then." Jack said glibly.

Jack's aversion didn't surprise Daniel after his last encounter with the alien head grabbing device, but he had to convince them that it their best course, their only course of action. "Jack, why wouldn't we want to gain access to the greatest repository of knowledge in the known universe, use that knowledge to find the lost city of the Ancients and use their technology to defeat Anubis once and for all?"

"Well, there is that." Jack responded, unable to deny Daniel's logic.

"That device nearly proved fatal the last time-"

"General, I'm not suggesting that anyone should directly interface with the device," Daniel said not meaning to interrupt Hammond once again, but he was running out of time…and patience. "But there must be some way we extract it and bring it home for study."

"The engineering team, that studied the last one of these devices you found determined nothing, after six months of research."

"We believe that that device's power source was depleted after Colonel O'Neill activated it." Sam justified.

"Can someone please explain what is going on?" Woolsey shot out sounded aggravated.

"Read the report," Jack said snippily.

"I can't do that without permission." Walter's loud voice announced over the loudspeaker, drifted up to the briefing room, interrupting the meeting.

The lights overhead started flickering wildly and the group exchange puzzled looks, before Jack, who was the closest, strode over to the window and peered down. "What the hell is going on down there?…Damn." Slowly he turned to address Daniel. "I think you need to get down there."

As soon as Daniel managed to make out what was happening down in the gateroom through the strobed lighting, he ran for the spiral staircase at a dead sprint.

Two flights down he found the corridor packed with the security team, repeatedly swiping their clearance cards through the slot, each time without success.

'_She's stopping it from opening.' _Daniel quickly realised. The strength of Leesia's abilities had always had a direct link with her emotional state. If she had the strength to hold one of these heavy blast doors closed, she was either extremely scared or extremely angry. Probably the latter he realised, as the flickering light above his head suddenly exploded in a shower of sparks, plunging the corridor into darkness.

He pounded on the blast door. "Leesia, it's me! Open up." he shouted, hoping that she could hear him through the thick steel.

He waited a few seconds and just when he was going to punch at the door, again it slowly started sliding open.

As soon as the gap was wide enough he slipped though, the door immediately slamming back closed behind him, trapping his shirttail.

"Hey!" he cried out in annoyance, but bit back further protests when he saw her. She was glaring up at the control room, looking nothing short of…ferocious.

He slipped his arms out of the sleeves of his over shirt and left it hanging in the door.

"Lees?" he called to her warily, keeping his arms to his side and his palms facing her. He took a hesitant step closer. "What are you doing?"

Her attention snapped to him. "I cannot remain here, doing nothing!"

"This isn't the way, Lees," he said keeping his tone soft as he took another step closer.

"And sitting around talking is? The longer we wait…" she trailed off, unable to finish. A solitary tear tracking down her cheek.

Daniel took his chance, gently taking her arm. She shrugged him away. "I am going, Daniel! Do not try to stop me!"

He backed off, hands raised. "They're not going to open the 'gate," he told her with a confident shake of his head.

"They do not need to," she said softly. She stared up at the huge ring ahead and suddenly it whirled to life.

Daniel gaped up in amazement, as the first chevron engaged, stunned at how much power her despair had given her. This wasn't like on the ship, or any of the other times her ability had ran away with her in a moment of a heightened emotional state. This time, she was in full control.

As the topmost V slid down for the second time and the inner wheel began rolling in the opposite direction, Daniel was suddenly gripped in panic. There was only one place he could think of that she could be heading to, and that 'gate was protected by a force shield. He didn't know how she had the address, having kept all the horrifying facts from her, but he couldn't let her go. She would be killed the moment she stepped through.

"Don't Lees!" he pleaded desperately. "This isn't the way."

She didn't respond, just continued her fixed stare at the steaming disc. The third chevron engaged.

"Leesia, you'll die if you go through. Don't you think that if it was that easy I would have gone myself by now?"

Her gaze was transfixed, if she heard him, she didn't react to it.

He moved up the ramp in front of the Stargate, knowing that if she opened it now the splash back from the opening wormhole would vaporise him where he stood, but he couldn't see another choice. He had to stop her and clearly, she wasn't listening to reason. Short of physically tackling her, he doubted she could be stopped. He faced her with his back to the 'gate.

"Daniel, please move!" she ordered, shaking with…anger?…fear?…exertion? He couldn't be sure which. The fierceness he saw in her eyes made him feel like he was trying to stare down a lioness. A lioness who was trying to protect her cub, and he was in between them.

"No." he said stubbornly, shocking his head. He heard the next chevron engage behind him. Whether it was the forth or fifth he wasn't sure, he had lost count.

The couple glared at each other as the Stargate continued to steam and spin. Another chevron lit up.

"Daniel." her tone was a warning.

He stood his ground. "I won't let you do this Leesia. You go through that 'gate and you will be killed! …I can't lose you."

His voice, filled with pain and desperation, stabbed at her heart and caused her fierce resolve to falter.

"Our son needs his mother." he added softly.

Her head dropped sadly, Daniel saw his chance and took it. Quickly, he moved down to her and pulled her into his arms, cradling her head to his shoulder. As she wrapped her arms around his waist, the flickering lights stopped and the roar of the Stargate died down to silence.

…

Leaving SG-3 and 5 to guard the 'gate, SG-1, plus one, made their way through the thick knee high yellowing grass of the alien planet and headed for the mammoth decapitated seated statues in the distance, that held the prospect of the Repository of Knowledge.

Teal'c took point, his warrior instinct alert for any signs of danger in the wilderness. Leesia was by his side, having to take two steps to his every one to keep up with his wide strides. Sam and Daniel came a few paces behind them and Jack brought up the rear.

Daniel used the cover of retying his bandana to fall behind until he fell inline with Jack. "How did you convince Hammond to let her come?"

"Didn't. She's a free citizen, able to come and go as she pleases…Besides, judging by that look in her eye, I don't think we've been able to stop her even if we wanted to. Did you see that look? It was like Cujo bit Bambi."

Daniel gave a small, sad smile. "She's a mother, Jack. A mother parted from her child."

After a fifteen-minute trudge through the dense undergrowth, they arrived at the colossal monument. "Alright, let's fan out. Leesia you're with Carter and Teal'c. Daniel, with me." Jack ordered moving off to the right.

Sam pulled out her scanner and started searching for energy readings as she led the trio off to the left side of the ruins. Leesia was by her side, her eyes running over the Ancient text that donned the walls and columns. As Teal'c went to follow, Daniel caught his arm.

"Keep an eye on her," he asked. He couldn't help his worry. Her manipulation of the Stargate must have taken its toll on her and she wasn't a hundred percent as it was.

Slowly, Teal'c bowed his head once. "I will keep both my eyes on her, Daniel Jackson."

"Thank you." Daniel said. He jogged away to catch up with Jack, unclipping his pack as he went.

…

Jack slid down the column onto his bottom and leaned back, resting his elbows on his knees. He checked his watch, frustrated at how long it was taking. He had assumed that with two translators with them it would have taken half the time. "We've searched this place up and down."

Daniel poked his head around the column he was studying, so he could face Jack. "I know."

"We could have the Goa'uld on our collective asses any minute now."

"I know." he repeated, irritably. "According to the text on this column it's inside.

"Inside you say." Jack said glancing around the coliseum. "Daniel, there is no inside. There's just a whole lotta outside."

"I know." Daniel said for the third time, his attention returning to his book.

"O'Neill." Teal'c voice sounded over the radio. "Leesia Jackson, believes she had discovered the location of the repository."

Jack got to his feet as Daniel hastily shoved his books back into his pack. The pair hurried around to regroup with the others.

"I'm getting some strange energy readings here." Sam said, nodding to the seemingly blank area she was referring to.

Leesia stood along side, her brow furrowed in frustration as she read over the markings. "It speaks of a library of knowledge, but there are flaws in the sentences."

Daniel moved next to her, his hand subconsciously reaching for her lower back. He read through the section, spotting the mistakes she was talking about. They were cleverly hidden, only someone who read the language perfectly would notice them. "It's a safety measure," he said "To insure only other Ancients can have access. If I'm right…"

He raised his hand, hovering over the wording. _'There, that pause is in the wrong place.' _He pressed the marking. Half way down he found two symbols that where the wrong way around. He pressed them both and continued down the passage.

As Daniel pushed on the sixth 'mistake', the flattened Repository instantly grew out of the solid wall Sam was scanning.

"Look out!" Jack cried, quickly grabbing Sam by the front of her vest and pulling her out of the way.

Without a second thought, Daniel seized his chance. He leaped into the space Sam had been in only second before, the repository growing out towards him as he did. Grips sprung from the device, seizing his head and tightly locking it in place.

Lights and bright lines flashed from the interface as the download began. Behind him, he could just make out the others startled cries, over the high-pitched buzzing that filled his head. He struggled to keep his eyes open, as the lights brightened, intensifying as it grew until it was all he could see. And then there was nothing but blackness.

…

Slowly thoughts, sensations and sounds began to filter into his mind as Daniel came to.

"Hopefully it will have knocked some sense into him." Leesia's voice, full of concern, was touched with annoyance.

Daniel smiled. "Well, that was the idea." he said, opening his eyes. He wasn't surprised to find himself in the infirmary, with Leesia and the rest of SG-1 hovering around his bed.

"Don't be flippant." she scolded with a tone of relief. She grazed her hand across his cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Daniel replied in astonishment. "Absolutely fine. Didn't think I would, but…" Quickly, he eased himself up.

"Whoa, you should be taking it easy." Sam said, trying to stop him.

"What for?" Daniel replied. "We all know what's going to happen. And we know that there is nothing they can do here to stop it."

"You planned this." Jack said shooting him with an accusing scowl.

Daniel sighed. "Yes. I knew that we wouldn't have had enough time to decipher anything of use, before it was too late. Someone had to do it."

"And you just…decided that you where the man for the job?" Jack snapped back sarcastically.

"It's my son, Jack." Daniel said, the desperation clear in his voice. "What choice did I have?"

…

Daniel closed his diary, clipped the pen he had been using to the front cover and put it aside. He had been hoping that he would be getting some insights into the Ancient knowledge by now, but nothing had changed…other than a constant, aggressive headache. He could now understand why Jack had been so irritable when this had happened to him.

He removed his glasses, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How are you feeling?" Leesia asked softly, as she came to sit next to him.

Eyes still closed, he dropped his head to rest on the back of the sofa. "Head is a bit tender." he told her, not wanting to admit the full truth.

Gently, she took hold of his shoulders and manoeuvred him so his head was resting on her lap. Slowly, she worked her fingers through his hair, tenderly massaging his delicate scalp.

"Oh that feels good," he groaned pleasurably, with a sigh, as her nimble finger made light figure of eights over his temples. Whether the massaging was actually easing the pain or simple easing his tension, he wasn't sure. Either way, he was very grateful for the relief, no matter how slight it may be.

He looked up at her, intending to thank her, but was disappointed to find that she was gazing off into the distance. The sorrowful longing expression she wore telling him that her thoughts were on their baby. Part of him wished she would talk to him, share what she was thinking and feeling, but another larger part, was relieved that she hadn't. He realised that there was a good chance that she held him responsible for what had happen to them on the ship and he didn't know what he would do if she confirmed his thoughts. But he was running out of time. In another couple of days, maybe three, he would lose the ability to communicate in any depth and a couple more days after that, if they don't find a way to get the knowledge removed from his mind then it was all over for him. He didn't have a choice, if the talk was going to happen, it had to be now.

"Do you…do you blame me?" he asked, his voice sounding very loud to him in the quietness of the room. He tensed waiting for her answer.

"Yes." she said simply, her fingers never ceasing to work their magic upon his scalp, her stare fixed on anything other than him.

His eyes went wide with poorly contained shock. He knew it had been a possibility, a strong one, judging by her shift in attitude towards him, but had not expected her to admit it so readily. And only now that she did, did he realise that he hadn't been seeking the truth, he had been seeking comfort and support. He wanted her to validate that she didn't blame him.

"Well, at least you're honest." he said dejectedly.

"I understand your reasoning, but you knew the consequences of having this knowledge, yet you risked yourself anyway."

He inwardly sighed in relief. "That's not what I meant…I meant do you blame me for losing him?"

It was her turn to look shocked. Her hands stilled and her gaze instantly fell down on him, eyes wide. "Do you really believe that I could?" he gasped out, stunned.

"You've been different with me…you hardly even look at me anymore."

"Oh Daniel, no" she sighed. "How could I blame you? You did everything in you power to prevent what happened. You saved my life. I…" she broke off.

"You what?"

She stayed in a mournful silence.

"Lees, please. Whatever it is can't be as bad as I'm imagining it to be."

She took a shaky breath. Sliding her fingers back through his hair, she began making circles outward from his crown. "I feel ashamed," she said quietly.

His brow furrowed in confusion as he waited for her to continue.

"I fell apart." She shook her head sadly. "If I had stayed calm and strong as you did, things would have turned out very differently… If anyone is to blame it is I."

Daniel was momentarily dumb-founded. Unable to believe how he had miss-read her so utterly. No anger he had seen, had been directed at him as he had supposed, it had all been aimed at herself.

"You were kidnapped while in labour," Daniel pointed out matter-of-factly. "That's not exactly a recipe for staying calm."

"You were with me. I should have trusted you to get us out and relaxed."

Daniel dropped his eyes, sadly. "But I didn't get us out."

She heard the guilt he felt in his tone and her fingers stilled. Gently, she cupped his cheek and brought his attention back to her face. "Daniel, answer me this honestly…Did you have a plan to get us out?"

"Yes." he admitted with a small nod, not wanting to move his head too much now her fingers had stopped sapping the pain from behind his eyes.

"And was that plan rendered useless when I lost control of my abilities?"

He didn't want to answer that. "That's neither here nor there, the point is you cannot be faulted for something that wasn't in your control."

"If that is true, then by the same logic, the fault is not yours either." she pointed out. "However, that fact does not apply for your actions on that planet."

"It was the only plan I had. We're no match for Anubis as we are and I needed to even out the playing field. Twice now he's had a ship in orbit without us even being aware of it."

"You should have informed me of what you were planning."

"You would have tried to stop me."

"Yes of course I would. You know the dangers of possessing such knowledge."

"How is it any different from what you did in the 'gateroom?"

Her mouth popped open to speak, but no sound came out. Slowly she closed it again in comprehension.

"How about instead of blaming ourselves and arguing over who should of should not have done what, we work together and put the blame firmly where the blame is due?"

She offered him a slight smile. "I like that plan."

She leaned over him until her hair fell down around them, curtaining them in their own private little world. Tenderly, she pressed her lips to his.

"I love you, Daniel," she whispered affectionately against his skin.

"I love you too," he said meeting her gaze with his own and reaching up to touch her cheek. "With all my chor."

"Chor?" she repeated back to him, questioningly.

"What?"

"You said chor."

"I did?"

"Yes." she nodded.

He sighed, not appreciating the timing. He had only just managed to get her to talk and now it he was losing his ability to speak correctly. He closed his eyes and covered his face with his hand.

"It's starting."

* * *

><p>A.N ~ Sorry another cliff-hanger :S. Hope you enjoyed<p> 


	18. Chapter 17 Journey of Revenge

**Chapter 17 - Journey of Revenge.**

Jack arrived at Daniel's lab and, finding the situation practically identical to how he had left it, scowled at his best friend. The sight making him regret, for the millionth time in the last couple of days, letting Daniel be the one to stick his head in that confounded machine.

Okay, 'letting him' wasn't exactly how it had happened, Daniel had done it deliberately, before any of them had a chance to stop him, but that fact didn't stop Jack feeling responsible. He was the CO. He knew how Daniel was feeling, knew how desperate he had become and knew his friends self-sacrificing nature… He should have seen it coming. Had he had the foresight he would have done it himself, before Daniel had a chance. At least he knew what to expect. Daniel didn't. He may have seen Jack go through it once years before, but witnessing it was a far cry from living it. He had hoped that with Daniel's understanding of the Ancient language it would been simpler for him, at least he would be able to understand the thoughts that would be pouring forcibly into his mind. However, his hope had been short lived, for Daniel seemed to be just as bewildered and confused as Jack had felt.

Whoever was better suited for the task, Jack knew _he_ certainly wouldn't be wasting, what little time he had, rooting through the copious amounts of clutter in Daniel's office. What would be the point? What could he possibly do with it all? Other than, hold the world's first intergalactic clearance sale. Or possible start a museum. Whatever Daniel's reason, it wasn't contingent to the problem at hand and it was starting to grate on Jack's nerves.

Daniel was on his knees, his attention locked on the bottom shelve while he rummaged through the many artefacts, tablets and various 'rocks' that were housed there. Slowly, he picked up a tablet and standing, he pulled it closer to his face, studying it carefully. The surface was peppered with indentations over the ancient text, the edges were framed with the constellation symbols of the familiar chevrons.

"On na matta momenti. Tua deserde ad invenio et plurus." he said absently. His fingers grazing over the markings, as he scrutinized the worn surface.

"This?" Leesia asked hopefully, studying the tablet from over his shoulder.

Daniel turned to face her, confusion shining in his blue eyes.

He shrugged.

"What did he say?" Sam asked.

"He said that this tablet is very important. We need to find the others." she explained eagerly, delighted and relieved that at least they seemed to be getting somewhere.

"Posterus." Daniel continued in the same absent tone.

The hopeful look fell of Leesia's face. She sighed in disappointment. "Later." she explained, as Daniel delicately placed the tablet on the shelf he had dubbed as 'urgent'.

"Later?" Jack snapped irritably, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You're kidding me right? Daniel, need I remind you that we're on a time limit here?"

Daniel turned his attention to Jack, looking like he had forgotten Jack was even there.

"As fascinating as all this may be, the fate of the planet is at stake." _'That and we don't have a way to get that crap out of his head yet.'_ Jack thought, not wanting to voice it aloud, Leesia was panicked enough as it was. She wasn't the only one; in fact, it seemed that Daniel was the only one in blissful ignorance to the danger he was in.

Thankfully Jack's warning seemed to get though to Daniel. He double slapped his desk and left the lab with a purposeful stride, his teammates and wife following like protective shadows.

Jack lengthened his strides so he could catch up with Daniel. "What are you doing?"

Daniel shrugged and shook his head. "Non coniecture ego habeo."

"He has no idea." Leesia translated.

"Well whatever it is, do it fast." Jack ordered. Daniel didn't seem to realise how little time he had left to do…whatever it was he was doing and to find a way to get that stuff out of his head before it proved fatal. He had already lost the ability to speak English.

Yep, Daniel was running out of time, but Jack was refusing to think negatively, the fate of the planet rested on this mission.

…

Jack tapped on Hammond's office doorframe and stepped through the open door without waiting for an invitation.

"Update Colonel." Hammond requested.

"Daniel's…packing." Jack told the General, subsequently eyeing up the many boxes that currently littered the office. "Looks like he's not the only one...apparently."

"Have your team geared up and ready to leave as soon as he's finished."

"Consider it done. Sir, I'm going to be taking Leesia with us."

Hammond paused his activities. "Are you sure that's wise, she's been through a lot recently."

"I understand that, but not only is she Daniel's only way of communicating with us, but with her ability she may be our only chance at working the weapon if…"

"If the worse where to happen?"

"Yes, sir." Jack reluctantly admitted.

Hammond slowly nodded. "I see…granted," he said, adding a framed photograph of his smiling granddaughters to the box on his desk.

"Having a spring clean, sir?" Jack asked.

"Not exactly. I've been promoted. I'll be overseeing this last mission and, if it pans out, I will be transferring to a new post dubbed Homeland Security."

Jack was momentarily speechless, as he took in the magnitude of what the General had told him.

"I'd rather that didn't happen, sir." he said bluntly, sounding more like a confrontational child, then a seasoned Air force Colonel.

"The decisions already been made." Hammond said in a way that told Jack that no amount of protesting was going to make a difference.

Jack rocked on the balls of his feet, lips pursed while he thought. "And what jumped-up, toffee-nosed, high and mighty, pen pusher are we going to be lumbered with?"

Hammond smiled at him, knowingly.

…

"You?" Sam asked, her baby blue eyes growing wide with surprise.

Dressed in their olive green BDU's and vests, Jack, Teal'c and herself stood to the side of the gateroom, ready and impatiently awaiting Daniel to have a eureka moment and give them a destination. Daniel sat crossed-legged on the floor in front of the ramp, surrounded by packing crates and other pieces of equipment he had insisted he needed. He was putting together a number of small rectangular contraptions, approximately the size and shape of a tissue box, wrapped in copper wire. Occasionally he would murmur something in Ancient and Leesia would hand him whatever it was he was asking for, her tense nervousness clear in her movements.

Jack paused his inspection of his P-90 to give Sam his best scowl. "You don't have to sound so shocked, Carter." he griped.

"Sorry, sir, it's just I never pictured you as the office type. I mean, you don't even use the one you have now."

The Colonel's checks stopped for a second time, this time out of surprise. "I have an office?"

Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Yes, sir."

"Do you not wish to have the position, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked with a questioning raise of his eyebrow.

"I dunno." Jack answered. "There's a lot of advantages. Parking space, pay rise et cetera."

"The big chair?" Sam offered teasingly.

"That to." Jack agreed, completely missing Sam's intended mockery. "I just don't know if I'm ready to sit back and watch you guys go off and have all the fun without me."

"Your presence within the team would be greatly missed."

"Why, thank you, Teal'c."

"On the other hand if you don't take it we could be stuck with someone much worse." Sam continued, earning herself a second glare, in as many minutes, from Jack. "That didn't come out right." she quickly back peddled. "What I mean is; who are the other options?"

"Doctor Weir. She's some political lobbyist that Kinsey's recommending."

"N.I.D?" Sam inquired.

Jack shook his head. "I wouldn't put it past that smarmy, opportunistic, power grabber, but from what Hammond witnessed, it looks like Hayes is on to him. So, I very much doubt it. I'm guessing he just wants the SGC out of military hands."

"Giving the position to a civilian would give him a greater chance of influence things around here." Sam agreed.

"It would appear that your decision is a deceptively simple one." Teal'c observed.

"Yeah," Jack sighed out in defect, turning to see Daniel complete what looked like the fiftieth device. "Any idea what his doing?"

"A few, sir." Sam replied. "But none I'd care to voice at this time."

As they watched, Daniel finished attaching the last device to the previous one, so they stretched out like the many vertebrae of a lengthy, curled spine.

"A weapon?" Jack asked her hopefully, as Daniel dragged the end around, until it joined up with the first one, encircling him and began linking a naquadah generator to the connection.

"I don't think so, sir." Sam said with a small shake of her head.

"I believe he has finished." Leesia called as Daniel eagerly waved them over.

They stepped carefully over the interlocked devices that encircled him and the items he had gathered. As Jack, who was the last to step into the circle, joined them, Daniel activated the naquadah generator attached to the device and suddenly five rings rose up around them. With a hum and a raising beam of light from within, SG-1, Leesia and the crates vanished from the gateroom.

…

Jack revolved on the spot, taking in the darkened view of the Goa'uld ship's control room. Slowly, turned to face Daniel in mock surprise. "You built a ring device in the gateroom?"

Daniel looked back at him, shrugged and murmured something Jack didn't understand.

"He says not to get excited," Leesia explained. "It will only operate the one time."

"Daniel, we've not been cleared to use this ship." Sam pointed out.

"That is why he kidnapped us." Leesia told them after listening to his smug explanation.

"He's got a point." Sam agreed. "Kidnapped by someone under the influence of an alien technology is a pretty solid defence."

Jack nodded in agreement. Not that he needed an excuse; he would have taken the ship anyway, regardless of the threat of being court marshalled when they got back. "You know, eventually we're going to play that hand once too often."

"Reparnió." Daniel asked Leesia gently, gesturing around them to the ship, expectantly.

"W-what?" she stammered. "Repair? I-I cannot. I am…I'm not strong enough. I…" she broke off, flustered, her eyes wide and full of turmoil.

Daniel huffed in irritation. Building the ring device had cost him a lot of time (as well as his favourite coffee machine), time he didn't have, but of course things really could never be that easy. It was all for nothing if she couldn't restore power to the ship.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself for what he had to do. Hating himself even as he considered it, but ultimately knowing there was not enough time to try anything else.

He scowled down at his wife. "And why would you even try, right?" he snapped out angrily. Hearing the words in English, but realising his friends and wife would only hear them in Ancient. "It's not like it's _your_ planet that's at risk!"

"Daniel?" Leesia gasped out, stunned by his attacking words. He had never spoken to her like that before. She couldn't help but backup slightly as he invaded her personal space. His hands fisted on his hips, eyes wide, menacingly.

"Once an Ascended always an Ascended, huh?" Daniel spat, re-closing the distance between them. "Don't interfere, no matter who gets hurt, who's at risk. How many have to die before you break that rule? Or don't the _lesser beings_ mean enough to be worth the bother? The others have the power to have prevented any of this from happening and yet they haven't done a damn thing about it! Why should I expect you to be any different?"

"You know it is not that way." Leesia said pleadingly, as Daniel backed her up against the wall.

Jack stepped forward to intervene. He couldn't understand what Daniel was saying, but he didn't need a translator to tell him that whatever it was, it was far from pleasant. Daniel posture and tone, as well as the way Leesia was recoiling away from him, told Jack all he needed to know. But, even as he opened his mouth to object, he found Teal'c arm suddenly thrown across his chest, holding him back.

"T?"

"Do not interfere, O'Neill. It is necessary." Teal'c said quietly, so not to be heard by Leesia over Daniel's continuing aggressive shouting.

"How is him tearing her a new one necessary?" Jack demanded in an urgent whisper.

Teal'c frowned, not fully understanding the meaning of 'tearing her a new one', but assuming that Jack was referring to Daniel's verbal assault on his wife. "Her emotions give her strength." he explained quietly to the others. "I have experienced tactics such as these before. He is attempting to empower her."

Leesia could do nothing but gawp as Daniel continued to close the insignificant gap between them. The heated word that continued to flow from his mouth in her native language stabbed at her wounded heart and made her blood run cold.

It wasn't what he was saying that distressed her so deeply that it made her shudder, no, it was the manner in which he was saying it and the stance that he had taken. Daniel was far from being a scrawny man, he was broad and muscular, but because of his gentle nature, he had never seemed intimidating or threatening before. But, that was exactly how he seemed to her, as he loomed over her, so close she could feel his every breath puff against her face as he spoke.

"STOP IT!" Leesia yelled loudly, as she squeezed her eyes tightly together and clasped her hands over her ears, desperately trying to not see that look Daniel was wearing or hear that tone to his voice.

She jumped, startled when she felt his hand on her forearm and tightened her hold on her own head, expecting him to try to wrench her hands away from their position, covering her ears and force her to listen.

However, his touch was…gentle and soothing as he rubbed his thumb over her skin, lovingly.

Eventually, she braved a peek and was taken aback when she noticed the bright lighting that lit up the previously dark interior of the ship. Taking her hands from her ears, she also heard the low, yet clear hum of the engines.

"Good work, Sparky." Jack beamed, giving her a congratulatory slap on the shoulder.

Daniel was looking down at her with apologetic eyes. His hand ran down her arm to take hold of her hand as she lowered her hands from her ears, in stunned silence. His thumb continued its soothing rubbing, now moving back and forth across the back of her hand.

She gazed back up at him, in stunned realisation. "You did not mean any of it?" she gasped out.

He smiled mournfully and shook his head. "Haud." he said gently, bringing his free hand up to touch her cheek. His smile widened when she didn't jump with his new touch, instead she leaned into it. "On eram matta tario. Illic eram nullus temoris… Tua venia ego?"

In relief, she rushed into his arms. "I understand." she said, as he tightened his arms around her. "There is nothing to forgive."

"Yadda, yadda, yadda," Jack interrupted. "Can you two just kiss and make up already, so we can get this show on the road?"

Daniel smiled and for once, he followed Jack's suggestion, without any arguments whatsoever.

…

"Still can't believe we travelled all that way for a battery." Jack said, turning the brightly lit Z.P.M over in his hands. The irony was not lost on him that they needed to travel light years away to gain a power source for something that was back on Earth. Nor, that an alien race so advanced, that the immensity of their knowledge would be deadly to others, couldn't invent a way of recharging them.

"I guess we just have to trust Daniel knows what he's doing." Sam said. Not knowing how stable the multi-coloured power source was, she gingerly took it from Jack's hands and returned it to the sponge lined packing crate.

"How much longer?" Jack griped impatiently.

"We should arrive at the coordinates Daniel Jackson gave in approximately thirteen minutes." Teal'c told the pacing Colonel from his position behind the control orb, in the pilot seat.

"Anyone told Daniel that?"

Sam turned her apprehensive gaze back to her fellow academic. "I didn't want to disturb him."

Daniel was arm deep in the rings, pulling out crystals and replacing them elsewhere. Wires circled around him like a nest as he made his adjustments. All the while he ranted away, in Ancient, to Leesia who was sitting next to him looking extremely anxious as she tried to absorb his every speeded word.

"Right," Jack sighed, seeing the responsibility rested on him. He made his way to the rear of the ship and crouched down on his haunches in front of Daniel. "We'll be there soon." he told him softly, as if any raised volume would break him.

Daniel didn't cease his activities; in fact, he didn't even seem to register Jack's closeness.

"Daniel?…Buddy, you with us?" Jack asked, louder this time, as he waved his hand in front of Daniel focused, expressionless face.

Daniel's speeded speech didn't pause, he just ignored his friend and continued to make his modifications.

"I do not believe he can understand us anymore, Jack." Leesia said sadly. The pain and concern evident in her soft voice.

"You getting all this?" Jack asked her.

Leesia nodded, running her hands nervously down her thighs. "I think so." she said, trying to sound confident, and failing miserably. "He is repeating himself." she added, with a shaky breath.

The situation was terrifying her, in more way than one. Firstly and most importantly was Daniel's time was running out. She could almost see the timer hanging over his head until the knowledge fully spooled into his brain, entirely destroying the most beautiful mind she had ever known. The digits were indistinguishable, but that didn't make them any less real. Secondly, and greatly adding to her increasing panic, was what Daniel was explaining to her. No, not what, it was why. He wouldn't need to be explaining all of this if he was planning to be around to see this mission through. She clung to the one thought that maybe, just maybe, he was being cautious.

"Anubis will not have missed our arrival." Teal'c announced in a deep warning tone as he brought the craft to a hover over the precise coordinates that Daniel had previously given.

Daniel rose to his feet, but after only taking one step, he stumbled, throwing his hands out to catch himself.

"Daniel?" Leesia was by his side almost instantly, wrapping her arm across his shoulders.

He turned his heavy head to the side, to face her. His blue eyes were almost vacant and seemed to gaze through, rather than seeing her, as he spoke. "Ego stralus." he insisted, firmly.

"No, you are not fine, Daniel" Leesia argued. "You cannot even focus." She tried to ease him down, but he gently pushed her aside and stumbled blindly over to the controls. He activated the rings.

Only when he heard the hiss of the beam cutting though the ice bellow them did he allow himself to collapse to the floor. Wearily, rolling onto his back, he brought his fists to his head and groaned loudly.

He felt Leesia's presence alongside him. She began working her fingers nibbling through his hair trying to work away the pain, that she must have realised, was steadily flooding through his mind in powerful shockwaves. He quickly tried to go back over his instructions to her, but soon realised that she was talking over him. He could see her lips moving and hear her voice, yet the sounds that she was making were foreign to him. He wished he could focus his sight clearly, so he could guess what she was saying from her expression. Her tone was soothing, reassuring and he hoped that that meant she understood his instructions…because he was out of time.

He reached up slowly and cupped her cheek in his palm. "Ego amor tua."

A tear ran down her cheek. "I love you also." she forced the words out of her emotionally tight throat. She knew a goodbye when she heard one. She had seen it coming, but the awareness that his time was running out had not prepared her for the event. Deep down she had assumed Daniel would find a way out, a loophole, he always had a plan.

"Ego reveio." he told her confidently, thumbing the wetness he could feel from her cheek. "Et…certiorem facio Jack…ille mel non mentior circa et…ekalom fron doleo." he added weakly, a small smile gracing his lips.

She nodded her understanding, her quivering lip pinched between her teeth. Her tears flowing freely down her cheeks, dripping heavily down his wrist and to the floor.

Slowly his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side.

"Daniel. Daniel!" Leesia cried out in overwhelming despair and panic, feeling Sam pull her away from him, even as she did.

Jack quickly took up her position by his side, pressed two fingers to the side of Daniel's neck, feeling for a pulse...

He found none.

"Come on, Daniel, don't do this." he said urgently, as he placed his palm on the centre of Daniel's chest, covered it with his other hand, leaned over and started compressing his chest, desperately trying to keep the blood pumping round his motionless body.

As Jack pressed down hard for the third time, suddenly Daniel started to glow. Jack's hands fell through the spectra onto the pile of clothes that now lay empty on the floor. The light glowed brighter and slowly started to rise.

Leesia felt a tingle brush up against her cheek as a tear traced down the opposite direction. She could do nothing but watch as slowly his light rose up. It hovered briefly at the ceiling, as though it couldn't make up its mind, before disappearing through it.

"What did he say?"

Without removing her gaze from where his light had vanished Leesia answered her. "He said; he'll be back… And to tell Jack he shouldn't have lied about the immensity of the head ache."

"Approaching Al'kesh!" Teal'c's booming voice broke through the heart-wrenching scene.

"Leesia." Jack called, taking her by the shoulders and giving her a gentle shake. He wished he could be sympathetic, but the urgency of the situation didn't allow it. Grieving had to come later; the fate of the planet was at stake. "We have to know, did he tell you what to do?"

She turned her tear stained face towards him and drew in a wavering breath. "There is an Ancient outpost directly below us, beneath the surface. The power cell is dead. You will need to replace it with the one you brought back form the other planet. There is a control chair down there. Jack, you will be required to use it order for the weapon to be activated."

"Me?"

She nodded. "It requires an Ancient operate it, but you carry the gene that will allow you to control its system. It essentially works through changes in your brain waves, so you must concentrate on what and who you wish the weapon to target."

The group of them stumbled, only just managing to stay on their feet, as the ship was rocked with the incoming fire from Anubis's gliders and Al'kesh. As quickly as they were able to so on the unsteady floor, they rushed to the front viewport.

"More ships approach from the left." Teal'c proclaimed.

"I don't know how much-" Sam began, but Teal'c quickly interrupted her.

"-They are not Goa'uld."

Sam leaned over the console to see clearly out of the viewport. A squadron of F-302 fighters were charging in, immediately opening fire on the Goa'uld ships. Behind them approached the large mass of the familiar angular ship. "Prometheus." she gasped.

Hammond voice sounded over the radio. "SG-1, this is Hammond, do you read?"

"Yes sir," Sam smiled. "It's good to see you." she said as they were cast into shadow of the great ship as it took up a defensive position above them.

The multitude of crafts swarmed around them, the skies littered with shots and explosions.

"Sam, what are the Earth fighters powered by?" Leesia queried, as an F-302 passed close by, leaving a trail of blue, gray smoke from its wing, in its wake.

"Petroleum mostly and Nequadria in the hyperspace window generator. Why?"

"And the weapons?"

"Projectiles."

With a wicked smile playing across her lips, Leesia slowing turned back to the window. "Sometimes they make it too easy." The earth vessels used different power sources from those she was picking up from the enemy. She waved them away. "Go. I have got this."

Daniel had shown her the way. She summoned all her anger, all her grief, all her hate, every droplet of agony she had experienced since their kidnapping on their wedding night, feeling the strength of her emotions building in the pit of her stomach. She focused on the pain she had seen in Daniel's face only moments before. Anubis had taken her baby and now her husband was dead because of his actions. She screamed all of the pain out in one immense blast.

"Remind me never to piss her off." Jack said, as the three of them moved over to the rings.

"I, for one, am glad she's on our side." Teal'c agreed.

"You know what they say… Payback's a bitch." Jack said, toeing at the changes Daniel had made to the ring device. "Don't we need to repair this first?"

"No need, sir." Sam told him. She held up the beaming device she had first found on the ship.

…

"Well, this looks vaguely familiar." Sam said, as they used the light on top of their P-90's to look around the darkened underground ice cavern.

"There." Teal'c pointed to a raised platform, in the middle of which sat an Ancient control chair.

"Power it up." Jack ordered.

As Sam pushed the ZPM down into place, the chair and platform lit up.

Cautiously, Jack lowered himself into the chair. Got comfortable and wiggled his fingers over the gelatinous pads on the armrests.

Sam and Teal'c froze, expectantly.

"I got nothing." Jack exclaimed, sounding resigned.

"Daniel said you just had to concentrate."

"Yeah, that's easy for him to say." Jack huffed.

"Try thinking; active." Sam offered.

"Active?" he blew out a long breath, as he closed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts. _'Okay… Active.'_

"Whoa!" he gasped out in shock, as the chair eased back, the footrest rising, seemingly of its own accord. "Thinks fast…Right, I got this" He re-closed his eyes and concentrateon one thought.

'_Big, honking space weapon!'_

…

Leesia gasped in astonishment as dozens, hundreds, thousands of bright light yellow tentacled drones erupted up out of the created hole in the hard compacted ice and snow in one beautifully deadly show. They twisted through the air as gracefully as a shoal of fish. The steam separated, like vines, each branch heading for a new enemy with fierce accuracy, arced and curing around any 302's that where in their path. The ha'tak's and death gliders exploded, lighting the skies like the fourth of July. Still the drones continued to swarm up out of the atmosphere, heading for the ships in orbit.

Leant over the console, Leesia sighed in relief. It was over, she could rest.

Manipulating the Goa'uld weapons, on the vessels that came close enough for her abilities to have an effect, had sapped a lot of her strength. Wearily, she half-stumbled, half-crawled back over to the rings and the pile of Daniel's abandoned clothes. She collapsed along side them, her fingers grasping at the material as tightly as her exhaustion would allow.

* * *

><p>A.N ~ please review. It really does spur me on and speeds up future chapters. Thanks, hope you enjoyed :)<p> 


	19. Authors Note

AN ~ Because this story has already become rather lengthy and there's still much more to come, I have decided to separate it into it's Season related parts (Part one = Season seven, part two = season eight etc) for the ease of myself as well as you guys reading it.

So Chapters 18 onwards will be deleted and reposted as the start of 'Light God ~ part two'.

I'm sorry if this is not to everyone's liking, however I do feel it is for the best.

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed and/or supported, this story. It really wouldn't have continued without you.

Hope to see you all for part two. And just to let you know there's another trailer available on you tube now, with some little sneak hints for future events.

Thanks again, SGsVamp


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